*3.6. Major Changes in Household Attitudes*

To determine how household attitudes towards nutrition, food choices, food preparation and hygiene had changed, we tabulated responses from across the CSVs and used McNemar's test to assess statistical differences (Table 7). While we found various patterns of change, many CSVs displayed no or little improvement in understanding key aspects.

**Table 7.** Proportion of respondents who agree on the *attitude statements* in household nutrition in four CSVs.


#### *(a) The statements used for HH attitudes were as follows.*

*1. I believe that proteins from beans such as pigeon pea, butter beans and green gram are not substitutes for protein from meat. 2. Eating vegetables and fruits is very important for good health.*

*3. I believe that eating the same food everyday is not enough to get good nutrition. 4. I like to eat meat because it gives me Vitamin C.*

*5. Preparing nutritious food for the family is very hard to do. 6. I believe that Vitamin A is very important to have very good eyesight. 7. It is normal children to have parasitic worms. 8. It is important to learn the right way to cook food to get the best nutrients from food.*

*nutritious food.*

*vitamins and minerals.*

*14. I believe that growing vegetables in the home is only doable in homes with big land.*

*9. It is important to give the right food to my children for them to grow well. 10. Parents should be role models to their children in eating the right and*

*11. It is important that the kitchen where food is prepared should be clean. 12. It is important to eat fruits and vegetables of different colors to get*

*13. I believe that the best source of nutrition for babies up to 2 years old is breast milk*

*15. It is alright to drink collected rain water as it is pure and clean already.*

*(b) A positive statement ideally shall have move agree responses and a negative statement shall have less agree responses*

*(c) McNemar's test was conducted to determine whether there was a significant difference in the proportion (increase or decrease) over time.*

*If p-value < 0.05, then the proportion was statistically significant at 5%. If p-value < 0.01, then the proportion was statistically significant at 1%. Note: "No responses" were excluded from the analysis.*

> For example, Htee Pu CSV showed a significant improvement in considering beans and legumes as good substitutes for meat proteins (statement 1), while CSV and Ma Sein CSV showed significant improvements in their attitude towards consuming fruits and vegetables (statements 2, 12). Ma Sein CSV and Saktha CSV showed significant improvements in relation to food preparation for the family not being difficult to do (statement 5). All CSVs (except Saktha) showed significant improvements in believing that the way in which food is cooked is important for obtaining the best nutrients from it.

> No significant improvement could be determined across the four CSVs with respect to the importance of feeding children the best foods, and the role of parents in being good role models to children about "eating right" (statements 9, 10). However, TKM and Saktha

90

CSVs showed significant improvements in their attitude towards the importance of giving breast milk to babies and infants up to 2 years old.

Across all CSVs, there were significant improvements in the attitude towards having home gardens, and in appreciating that having smaller landholdings is not necessarily a hindrance to having a home garden (statement 14).

In terms of hygiene, all CSVs showed significant improvements in their attitude that it is not normal for children to have parasitic worms (statement 7). TKM CSV and Ma Sein CSV improved in their attitude that kitchens where food is prepared should be clean all the time. Htee Pu and Ma Sein CSVs showed improvements in their attitudes that unprocessed rainwater is not a good source of drinking water (statement 15).
