Thirteenth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

The coexistence of undernutrition, over-nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in South Africa can be defined as the Triple Burden of Malnutrition. South Africa as a third world country comprises many vulnerable young children as they are directly dependent on their caregiver’s competence toward feeding. Although there are numerous proactive measures in place, such as the Paediatric Food-based Dietary Guidelines (PFBDGs), caregivers often put the health of young children at risk because they overestimate their abilities or lack specific knowledge. This is referred to as the Dunning-Kruger effect, which is a cognitive bias whereby people with low ability, expertise, or experience regarding a certain type of task or area of knowledge tend to overestimate their ability or knowledge, which could have unfortunate consequences. This study therefore set out to investigate the possibility of the Dunning-Kruger effect amongst SA infant caregivers by testing subjective and objective knowledge pertaining to the current South African PFBDGs. Data was collected via an electronic questionnaire across Gauteng, South Africa. Initial results from the subjective knowledge test revealed that many respondents perceived themselves as having a superior level of knowledge. When confronted with the objective testing, results unfortunately did not match the same level of competence. Hence, a Dunning-Kruger effect could be confirmed. These results should be viewed as concerning and give rise to public health concerns in South Africa: in this case, malnutrition of young children. This study highlights a need for increased consumer awareness of the PFBDGs, followed by better interpretation thereof.