At the invitation of Dr. Elzbieta Szczepanska, Head of the Department of Human Nutrition in the Department of Dietetics, the Department of Public Health in Bytom visited nearly 200 high school students from the Jan Smolen High School I in Bytom. During the visit, the students had the opportunity to participate in four educational programs developed and implemented by students under the watchful eye of the Doctor.
Dr. Szczepanska has been implementing nutrition education programs for various age groups for more than 10 years, as part of the Nutrition Education and Counseling course, together with the students of the Secondary School of Dietetics. As part of these activities, students with the Doctor have already visited dozens of places, including kindergartens, schools, orphanages, Universities of the Third Age and senior citizens' clubs. Thus, thousands of people from Bytom and neighboring cities have been educated.
This year, in addition to the very interesting programs carried out by students at Elementary School No. 16, which were attended by 135 students, nearly 200 high school students from Jan Smolen High School No. 1 in Bytom came to the Bytom faculty. The topics of this year's meetings were a response to the needs of the audience, hence the programs They are among us - young people with eating disorders, Eat without tension, Dream figure - how to achieve it in a rational way, and Rational nutrition and physical activity - the basis of a healthy lifestyle for young people were implemented. All classes were workshop-based, using activating teaching methods and developed, attractive teaching aids. Participants in educational programs had the opportunity to participate in discussions, ask questions and share their insights and experiences.
- Such a form of classes, where in lectures I present the principles and discuss in detail the stages of planning nutrition education programs, in seminars we develop these programs and in exercises we implement them, brings many benefits," emphasizes Dr. Szczepanska and adds: - On the one hand, students acquire the ability to plan programs and then through their implementation in a natural environment with different audiences, they gain experience. On the other hand, we do a great deal of work for the local environment, which gives us all a lot of satisfaction. And the recipients of education, over all these years I have not encountered a situation where they are dissatisfied, on the contrary, our activities are very well received, as evidenced by the numerous expressions of sympathy and thanks received.
However, this is not all that has happened at the JPA in Bytom. Participation of high school students in educational programs was combined with other nutrition education activities, in which employees and doctoral students of the Department of Dietetics and the Department of Environmental Health participated. Thus, students additionally had the opportunity to undergo body composition assessments, see what the nitrate content of food is, measure a vest that simulates obesity, see how phantoms for feeding by probe work, or learn what sensory analysis of food products is all about. The high school students were also met by representatives of the JPA Student Government, who introduced them to the secrets of studying in an attractive way. The whole event was very popular. Thanks to the efforts of those involved in it, it was possible to combine many aspects of nutrition education, important in terms of the impact of diet on health.
Regardless of the activities carried out in the Department building for high school students and at the Elementary School, dietetics students this year also gained skills in working with patients at the metabolic disorders clinic NZOZ Twoje Zdrowie in Sosnowiec. As part of the exercise, they gave dietary advice to patients who came in, under the watchful eye of Dr. Małgorzata Słoma - Krześlak, an employee of the Human Nutrition Department of the Dietetics Department, having previously prepared for this in class.
All the activities carried out allowed students to gain further experience and competencies needed for future work and the recipients of these activities, students and patients, to acquire knowledge and skills in proper nutrition in health and disease.
