Enhancing Healthy Eating Knowledge Through Visual Narratives: A Comic-Based Intervention Through “Isi Piringku” Guidelines Among Elementary Students

Abstract

Introduction: Establishing healthy eating habits during childhood is vital for supporting optimal growth, cognitive development, and long-term well-being. However, conventional teacher-centered nutrition education methods often fail to engage young learners effectively. This study explores the development and effectiveness of comic-based learning media to improve elementary students’ knowledge of healthy eating aligned with Indonesia’s “Isi Piringku” (My Plate) guidelines. Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted involving 54 fourth-grade students at SDI Khoirru Ummah Malang. The comic media was co-developed through focus group discussions with teachers and parents, followed by expert validation assessing content, construction, and language using a structured rubric. Inter-rater reliability was evaluated using Cohen’s Kappa. The intervention included a 60-minute session with guided comic reading and interactive discussions. Knowledge improvement was measured using a 10-item multiple-choice questionnaire before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using paired sample t-tests (p < 0.05). Results: Validation showed feasibility scores of 60% (Expert 1) and 90.67% (Expert 2), indicating “fairly feasible” to “highly feasible” ratings. The reliability test revealed slight agreement (K = 0.093), prompting revisions to enhance clarity and age-appropriateness. Post-intervention analysis showed a significant improvement in nutrition knowledge (mean pretest = 5.26; posttest = 7.04; p = 0.0001). The comics successfully engaged students, facilitated comprehension, and supported knowledge retention. Conclusion: Comic-based learning media is a valid and effective tool for delivering nutrition education to elementary school children. It enhances engagement, simplifies complex concepts, and aligns well with developmental learning theories. Future research should investigate its long-term behavioral impact and integration with digital or gamified learning platforms.