ABTRACT
The study was designed to determine the food consumption pattern and other lifestyles of adolescents in some selected day secondary schools in Aba south L.G.A Abia state. A total of 308 respondents was selected for the study. The percentage of males (51.9%) was slightly higher than that of the females (48.1%).Most of the respondents live with their parents. Trading was found to be predominant occupation among the respondent fathers (56.5%) and mothers (63.3%). Result revealed that most students consumes food thrice (60.1%) or twice (34.1%) daily. Most (67.2%) of the students also confirmed that they eat enough of each meal. The respondents (34.1%) involved in meal skipping missed either breakfast (18.1%) or lunch (15.9%). Meal skipping was as a result of limited time (19 .2%) and un-affordability (13.3%).Regularly (> 3x weekly) consumption of snacks by most (68.8%) of the respondents was observed in this study. However fruits were poorly (< 3x weekly) consumed by most (69.1%) of the respondents. Favorite foods were preferred to other foods by the students because either they liked them (32.8%) or have become accustomed to them (36.7%).Economic (52.6%) and social (21.1%) factors affected food choices. Cigarette and alcohol consumption was not consumed by (94.2%) respondents and (98.4%) respondents respectively. Results revealed that only (3.2%) of the respondents do exercise regularly. Majority of the students had either fair (47.1%) or good (45.8%) knowledge of nutrition. Results on nutritional status of the respondents showed that most (79.2%) of the respondents had a normal height for age, some (16.2%) of them were stunted while only a few (4.5%) of them had tall for age. However the boys had more abnormal (stunted 16.9% vs 15.5%; tall for age 5.0% vs 4.1%) height for age status than the girls. Results of respondents BMI for age status revealed that they were more overweight /obese (11.3%) than underweight (9.7%) students. Results for weight for height revealed that they were more overweight/obese (13.9%) than wasting (7.8%).
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Table of contents v
List of table viii
Abstract ix
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.2 Statement of problem 4
1.3 Objectives of the study 5
1.3.1 General objective 5
1.3.2 Specific objectives 5
1.4 Significant of the study 6
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW 7
2.1 Adolescents 7
2.2 Assessment of food consumption pattern of adolescents 8
2.2.1 Food consumption pattern 10
2.2.2 Characteristics of adolescent food consumption pattern and
lifestyles. 11
2.2.3 Skipping meals 12
2.2.4 Snacking 12
2.2.5 Fast food 13
2.2.6 Dieting 13
2.3 Food habits and lifestyles of adolescents 14
2.4 Factors affecting food choices 15
2.4.1 Social factors that influences food choices 15
2.4.2 Psychological factors 17
2.4.3 Personal factors 17
2.4.4 Educational factors 17
2.4.5 Socioeconomic factors 18
2.4.6 Environmental influence 19
2.5 Nutritional requirements of adolescent 19
2.5.1 Energy 20
2.5.2 Protein 20
2.5.3 Carbohydrates 21
2.5.4 Fat 21
2.5.5 Calcium 22
2.5.6 Iron 22
2.5.7 Zinc 23
2.5.8 Vitamin A 23
2.5.9 Vitamin E 24
2.5.10 Vitamin C 24
2.6 Nutritional problems in adolescence 25
2.6.1 Malnutrition delays physical growth and maturation 25
2.6.2 Iron deficiency and anaemia 26
2.7 Anthropometry measurement 26
2.7.1 Height 27
2.7.2 Weight 28
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHODS 30
3.1 Study design 30
3.2 Area of study 30
3.3 Population of the study 30
3.4 Sampling and sampling techniques 31
3.4.1 Sample size 31
3.4.2 Sample procedure 32
3.5 Preliminary visits 33
3.5.1 Preliminary visit 33
3.5.2 Training of research assistant 33
3.6 Data collection 33
3.6.1 Questionnaire Administration 33
3.6.2 Anthropometric measurement 34
3.6.3 Dietary intake measurement 35
3.7 Data analysis 35
3.8 Statistical analysis 35
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 36
4.1 Personal and background information of the adolescents 36
4.2 Dietary pattern and habits of respondents 41
4.3 Lifestyle practice of respondents 43
4.4 Factors affecting food choices of respondents. 50
4.5 Nutritional knowledge of adolescents 52
4.6: Nutritional status of respondents 54
4.7: 24 hours dietary intake of respondents 58
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 62
5.1 Conclusion 62
5.2 Recommendations 63
References 64 Appendices 73
LIST OF TABLES
Tables 4.1a: Personal and background information of the respondents 38
Table 4.1b: personal and background information of respondents 39
Table 4.1c: personal and background information of respondents 40
Table 4.2a: Dietary pattern and habits of respondents 43
Table 4.2b: Dietary pattern and habits of respondents 44
Table 4.2 c: Dietary Pattern and Habit of the respondents 45
Table 4.2 d: Dietary Pattern and Habit of the respondents 46
Table 4.3a: Life styles of the respondents 48
Table 4.3b: Life styles of the respondents 49
Table 4.4: Factors affecting food choices of the respondents 51
Table 4.5 Nutritional knowledge of the respondents 53
Table 4.6 a: Nutritional status of the respondents 56
Table 4.6b: Nutritional status of the respondents 57
Table 4.7 a: Food frequency consumption of respondents 60
Table 4.7 b: Food frequency consumption of respondents 61
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
World health organization (WHO) (1993) defined adolescents as the period of life between the ages of 10 to 19 years. Adolescents may be divided into three developmental stages based on physical, psychological and social changes.
Ensiminger (2000) reported that adolescence is a period of growth and development between childhood and adulthood. It is a crucial period in life and implies physiological and psychological changes that affect physical growth. This is a time of redefining and developing relationships with parents, family and peers (WHO, 1995). Owie (2003) confirmed that adolescence is the continuum of the life span. The experiences of childhood have a significant impact on adolescence while adolescence lays a foundation for the experiences of adulthood.
According to Sendrowitz (1995) cultural factor play a stronger role than socio-economic conditions in determining allocations of food and nutritional adequacy. Even where foods are adequate, the mean caloric intake of individual family members can fall below requirements.
Thompson (2008) stressed that the nutritional needs during adolescence are increased because of the increased growth rate and changes in body composition associated with puberty. The dramatic increase in energy and nutrient requirements coincides with other factors of food choice and nutrient intakes that may affect adolescent’s nutritional status. Ackard (2010) emphasized that there are many body changes which results due to the influence of hormone.He found out that the greatest nutrients need for boys is between 12-15 years and for girls is 10-13 years. They attain their stature between 18-20 years but bone mass continues to increase up to age of 25 years. With profound growth of adolescence there increased demands for energy, protein, mineral and vitamins.
Wright (1999) reported that adolescents tend to eat differently than they did as children. Factors like the quest for independence and acceptance by peers, increased mobility, and greater time spent at school/college and/or work activities, and preoccupation with self-image that may affect adolescent’s food choices. He found out that all these factors contribute to erratic and unhealthy eating behaviors that are common during adolescence. Bogart et al. (2002) opined that the feeding styles of adolescents are more meals consumed out of home and skipping meals. Breakfast is the most common missed meal by adolescents which leads to a higher probability of snacking during the day. Snacking includes eating nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables, as well as “junk foods” which are those containing high amount of fat, sugar and sodium. Nutrition plays a role in the development of infants, children, adolescents and adults alike (Croll et al., 2001).
Gordon and Paul (1996) emphasized that many adolescent male students do not drink milk at all or drink frequently. This made them not to consume enough calcium that will maximize that mineralization of bone. Most of them drink soft drinks, local ice cream, pizzas, burgers, coffees, chocolate and also other roadside junk foods that are not nutritious in place of food that are adequate, this contribute to nutritional deficiency which results to imbalance in intake of calcium, phosphorous and other nutrient. This does not promote optimal bone development.
Adolescence have nutritional needs that are higher in many ways than those of other groups of people; they have large appetites which should be satisfied with foods of higher nutritional value, the need good supply of protein and also fat, they should eat raw fruits and vegetables (Kurz and Johnson-welch, 1994).
Delisie et al. (2000) stressed that adolescence is a unique intervention point in the lifecycle. It offers one chance to acquire knowledge about optimal nutrition during young adulthood that could prevent or delay adult onset diet related illnesses later on. During this time, physical changes affect the body’s nutritional needs, while changes in one’s lifestyle may affect feeding habit and food choices (Duyff. 2002).
According to WHO (2000) sound nutrition can play a role in the prevention of several chronic diseases, including obesity, coronary heart disease, certain types of cancer, stroke, type two (2) diabetes. For this reason, Wright (1999) emphasized that nutrition is a priority area for healthy people and remains an important
objective for all healthy people to help prevent diet-related chronic diseases. National and population based surveys have revealed that adolescents often fail to meet dietary recommendations for overall nutritional status and for specific nutrient intakes (Neumark, 2000).
WHO (2000)further reported that many adolescents receive a higher proportion of energy from fat and sugar and have lower intakes of vitamins A, folic acid, fiber, iron, calcium and zinc than is recommended. The lower intakes of iron and calcium among adolescent girls are of particular concern. Iron deficiency can impair cognitive function and physical performance, and inadequate calcium intake may increase fracture during adolescence and the risk of developing osteoporosis in later in life.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Malnutrition is widespread and has significant impacts on adolescents especially in the developed country like Nigeria where adolescents are found to have a poor feeding habit and poor dietary habit formed during adolescent years often continue into adulthood, given rise to an increase risk of chronic diseases such as heart diseases, osteoporosis and some type of cancer. If these poor feeding habits are not controlled, they will lead to weight loss, growth failure, lower immunity, mucosal damage, and increased disease incident. It may also lead to some eating disorder. Dietary habits of adolescents majorly those of the female are generally
poor and this may lead to giving birth to underweight and often stunted babies in later life.
Sound nutrition can play a role in the prevention of several chronic diseases including obesity, coronary heart diseases, certain types of cancer, stroke, type 2 diabetes and optimum nutrition is crucial at this stage of the body, if the body is to achieve its maximum growth potential.
Due to these nutritional problems of adolescent identified, it is worth carrying out the research and finding solutions to the problem.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1.3.1 General objective:
The general objective of this study is to determine the food consumption pattern, lifestyle and food habits of adolescents in some selected secondary school in Aba south local government of Abia state.
1.3.2 Specific Objectives:
The specific objectives are to:-
1. evaluate the dietary pattern and habit of adolescents day students in selected schools in Aba south local government of Abia state.
2. know the lifestyles of adolescents.
3. identify the factors affecting their feeding habits.
4. determine the nutritional knowledge of the adolescents.
5. access their nutritional status using anthropometric measurements.
1.4 SIGNIFICANTS OF THE STUDY
The findings from this study is used in steering adolescence towards healthful foods in school and at home. Information from this research work is vital for planning and conducting intervention programs by government agencies.
The school management board can because of this study introduce Nutrition education in the school curriculum in order to educate students toward healthy lifestyles and food choices.
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