ABSTRACT
This research was conducted to assess the prevalence of food neophobia among NYSC members in Abia state. The study evaluated the types of food served to NYSC members in camp, levels of food neophobia amongst the corps members, reasons for food rejection and ways of improving NYSC camp food acceptability. The research was carried out in Abia state Nigeria. Population size was 7277 consisting of 2018 Batch ‘A’ and ‘B’ corps members. The sample size of 192 was determined using stratified random sampling technique from Umuahia North and South, Aba North, Bende and Ohafia local government areas. The research was carried out with a structured questionnaire. Statistical tools used were frequency for data organization, percentages to describe demographic characteristics, research questions were answered using mean and standard deviations while hypotheses were analysed using z-test and ANOVA at Probability level of 5 %. From the results, the gender distribution was 48% male and 52% female; the distribution based on ethnicity was 55.2 % for Igbo, 15.1for % Hausa, and 29.7 % for Yoruba. Meals 11, 15 and 16 were mostly never eaten. Strangeness of food and fear was major contributors to food neophobia amongst the corps members. Effects of Geopolitical zones of institutions from where the NYSC members graduated from were significant (P ≤ 0.05) on the reasons for rejection of camp food. There was no significant difference (P ≥ 0.05) on the suggestions of NYSC members from Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba ethnic groups on how to improve camp food acceptability to corps members in Abia State. There was no significant difference (P ≥ 0.05) on food neophobic levels of batch 2018 ‘A’ and ‘B’ NYSC members. In conclusion, the study revealed some of the reasons NYSC members rejected some of the meals offered by the camp kitchen in Abia state and suggested that with some improvements in meal planning, preparation and service as well as more information on meals served, there will be a higher acceptance of meals served by the NYSC camp kitchen. It was therefore recommended among others that NYSC members should be encouraged to be open to try new foods while on the National Youth Service program, this is in line with the aim of NYSC which states that “the NYSC is being established with the view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity” and The camp organizers should incorporate native meals of other tribes, snacks, fruits and fruit juices in the camp food menu to increase the camp food acceptability.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification Page ii
Declaration Page iii
Dedication `` iv
Acknowledgement v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables x
Appendixes xi
Abstract xii
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background
of the Study 1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem 4
1.3 Research
Questions 5
1.4 Purpose
of the Study 5
1.5 Research
Hypothesis 6
1.6 Significance
of the Study 7
1.7 Scope
of the Study 9
CHAPTER 2:
LITERATURE REVIEW 10
2.1 Definition of
Concepts 11
2.1.0 Concept of
Food Neophobia 11
2.1.1 Types of
Food Neophobia 12
2.1.2 Measurement
of Food Neophobia 12
2.1.2.1 Food
Neophobia Scale (FNS) 13
2.1.3 Food Habit
Formation 14
2.1.3.1 Childhood 15
2.1.3.2
Adolescence 15
2.1.3.3 Adulthood 16
2.1.4 Factors
Affecting Food Neophobia 16
2.1.5 National
Youth Service Corps (NYSC) 20
2.1.5.1 Food
Related Challenges 22
2.2 Related
Theories 23
2.2.1 Learning theories 23
2.2.2 Motivation
theories 24
2.2.3 Cognitive
theories 25
2.3 Review of
Related Empirical Studies 25
2.4 Summary of
Literature Reviewed 29
CHAPTER 3:
METHODOLOGY 35
3.1 Research
Design 35
3.2 Area of the
Study 35
3.3 Population of the Study 36
3.4 Sample and Sampling Techniques 37
3.4.1 Sample size determination
37
3.5 Instrument s for Data
Collection 37
3.6 Validation of the Instrument
38
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument
38
3.8 Method of Data Collection 38
3.9 Method of Data Analysis 39
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 41
4.1
Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents.
41
4.2 What
is the extent of acceptability of the food provided by the NYSC orientation
camp of Abia state by its NYSC members 43
4.3
What is the food neophobic level of the corps members in Abia
state NYSC orientation camp 45
4.4 What are the NYSC members’
reasons for rejecting some of the foods served by the NYSC orientation camp in
Abia state 46
4.5 What are the suggested ways of improving NYSC camp food
acceptability by NYSC members in Abia state 48
4.6 HYPOTHESES TESTING 50
4.6.1 Hypothesis 1 50
4.6.2 Hypothesis 2 52
4.6.3 Hypothesis 3 54
4.6.4 Hypothesis 4 57
4.6.5 Hypothesis 5 59
4.7 Discussion of Major findings 61
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENDATION 69
5.1 Summary
69
5.2 Conclusion
70
5.3 Recommendation 71
References 73
LIST
OF TABLES
2.0
A Summary of Instruments used to measure food neophobia 77
4.1 Distribution
of respondents according to their demographic characteristics 41
4.2
Mean responses of respondents on the extent of corps members’ meal
acceptability43
4.3
Mean responses of respondents on Food Neophobic Level 45
4.4
Mean response of respondents on reasons for rejecting some of the NYSC camp
food 46
4.5 Mean response on the
suggested ways of improving NYSC camp food acceptability48
4.6.1
t-test analysis of the mean
response of male and female corps members with food neophobia among NYSC
members in Abia
50
4.6.2 ANOVA analysis on the effect of Ethnicity on
food neophobic level of NYSC members in Abia state 52
4.6.3 ANOVA analysis of the effect
of geopolitical zone of tertiary institution graduated from on reasons for food
rejection by NYSC corps member in Abia State
54
4.6.4 ANOVA analysis of Ethnicity on
suggestions on improvement camp food acceptability by NYSC members in Abia
State 57
4.6.5 t-test evaluation of the effect of Batch on food neophobic level 59
Appendixes
1. A Summary of Instruments used to
measure food neophobia 77
2. Derivation
of the sample size using Taro Yamane’s equation
88
3. Questionnaire
90
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Mankind
has been observed to seek variety in food contrasts with a concern about the
unfamiliar and unknown. There is considerable evidence that this personality
trait affects willingness to consume certain new or novel foods (Flight et al., 2003). Humans have the opportunity to partake in a plethora
of foods comprising many cultures and styles of preparation. However, humans
are not exempted from the predicament that all omnivores experience when it
comes to the selection of food they have available known as the “omnivore’s
dilemma”, where the approach towards new foods may provide a source of
nutrition or toxicity thus resulting in neophobic behavior (Capiola et al., 2012).
This neophobic behavior is observed as an evolutionary survival mechanism
amongst individuals, the ‘dilemma’ generally manifests itself through avoidance
of expected unpleasant tastes and potentially harmful plants and animals.
Tuorila
et al., (2001) investigated such
dilemmas through exploring food neophobia defined as a ‘reluctance to eat
and/or avoidance of novel foods’. Dovey et
al., (2008) defined food neophobia as a reluctance to eat unfamiliar foods. The phenomenon has been
hypothesized to occur due to man’s restrictions to his diet in an attempt to
protect himself from ingesting potentially poisonous foods by adopting a novel
approach while in search for food (Armelagos, 2014).
Food neophobia is characterized as a personality trait, with
regards to a person’s tendency to accept or avoid new foods (Shenettleret al., 2017). It exists
in all age groups and its intensity varies among individuals, with some showing
great pleasure in eating new foods and others showing a strong repugnance to
new food. Researches by Shenettler et al.,
(2017) revealed sizeable and to some extent, predictable individual differences
in food neophobia.
Food consumers can be classified
into three groups according to their behavior to novel food. These groups are
Neophilic, Neutral and Neophobic consumers. Neophilic Consumers are individuals
who are overtly willing to try new foods. They tend to accept unfamiliar foods
easily. They perceive unusual foods in a positive light and embrace situations involving
new food (Veeck, 2010). Neophobic consumers are individuals who tend to reject
unfamiliar foods and have an overall lower preference for unknown food and food
products. They perceive new or unknown food as a treat and tend to avoid them
while Neutral consumers are
indifferent on food acceptance or rejection. Asperin et al., (2011) added that food acceptance or rejection behavioral
patterns are affected by a number of factors which include; Psychological factors (beliefs, values, habits and
past experiences), motivations, familiarity with food, health (perceived benefits, demerits, allergies), belief, sensory affective, anticipated consequences, disgust, socio-economic status
and cultural factors respectively.
Tuorila et al., (2001)
reiterated that food neophobia is an individual characteristics and accounts
for a reluctance to choose new or unusual foods, independent of an individual’s
own culture. Culture means the totality
of people’s way of life which is expressed in their language, history,
philosophy, art, religion, economics, politics, music, dressing and food.
Culture refers to the summation of people’s way of life (Eze, 2014). Olayinka
(2012) described culture as the totality of ways and manners in which people
live their lives and make sense of their existence and Nigeria is a country
with several diverse cultures.
The Nigerian National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) is one of the
platforms that bring people especially youths of different backgrounds and
cultures together as well as cause people to migrate to other geographical
locations within the country where they are completely unfamiliar with the
lifestyle, food, language, dress styles and in most cases dominant religion of
the host community. This program is aimed at
fostering unity in the country and helping youths appreciate other ethnic
groups in the country.
The National Youth
Service scheme was created in a bid to reconcile and rebuild the country after
the Nigerian Civil War. The unfortunate antecedents in our national history
gave impetus to the National Youth Service Corps by decree No. 24 of 22nd
May 1973 which stated that “the NYSC is being established with a view to the
proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria
and the promotion of national unity” (NYSC ACT, 2004).
Nigeria is a country with several diverse cultures.
Nigeria has 36 states with about 250 different ethnic groups. Each ethnic group
has its own unique culture. During the NYSC exercise, Corp members are randomly
posted from their place of origin to other far
places (any of the 250 ethnic groups) wherein they are expected to live with
and blend in with people of other tribes, with different social and family
backgrounds and to learn the culture of the indigenes (Marenin, 2009).
Abia State is a state in
southeastern Nigeria. The capital is Umuahia although the major commercial city
is Aba, formerly a British colonial outpost. The state was created in 1991 from
part of Imo State and its citizens are predominantly Igbo (95% of the
population). It is one of the nine constituent states of the Niger Delta
region. The name “ABIA” is an abbreviation of the state’s densely populated
regions Aba, Bende, Isikwuato and Afikpo. It is one of the thirty-six states
that constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Wikipedia, 2018).
NYSC members from
different ethnic groups are posted to Abia state likewise other states in the
country. They are expected to carry out the NYSC orientation program in the
NYSC orientation camp for three weeks. When in camp the corps members are
expected to eat whatever food is served to them by the camp kitchen. Some of
the time, NYSC members find it difficult to eat or avoid the local delicacies
of Abia state served by the camp as they are unfamiliar with them. Based on the
aforementioned, the need to assess the prevalence of food neophobia among NYSC
members in Abia state as well as to ascertain the reasons for meal rejection
and ways of improving meal acceptability.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Corps
members in NYSC orientation camp are faced with several food related challenges
which include the dislike of meals served by the orientation camp kitchen which
leads to loss of interest in meals as well as loss of interest in the activities
of the orientation program hence hunger, a lot of complaints and fatigue. Some
corps members indulge in excessive spending of money in purchasing alternative
meals from food vendors in camp. These expenditures by the NYSC members leads them
to sometimes having to demand money from home while some of the vulnerable ones
especially the females may associate with males or bad female company in order
to obtain money to buy food from food vendors in camp. Malnutrition is also
another challenge that is encountered by corps members due to not eating food
served by the camp kitchen and inability to buy alternatives due to lack of
funds. In addition, some corps members develop ill health as a result
starvation, consuming junks and eating foods not suited for their health
condition etc. There is also constant food wastage by NYSC kitchen because food
prepared for the entire camp population ends up being eaten by only a fraction
of the population, as a result, the rest of the food becomes a waste. Based on
these problems, the study therefore aimed at determining the extent of meal
acceptability by the NYSC members, their reasons for rejecting some of the
meals and to suggest ways of improving the camp meal acceptability.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The study sought to answer the following questions:
- What is the extent of
acceptability of the food provided by the NYSC orientation camp of Abia
state by its NYSC members?
- What are the food neophobic
levels of the corps members in Abia state NYSC orientation camp?
- What are the NYSC members’
reasons for rejecting some of the foods served by the NYSC orientation
camp in Abia state?
- What are the suggested ways of improving food acceptability
by NYSC members in Abia state?
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of this study
was to assess the prevalence of food neophobia among NYSC members in Abia
state. Specifically, the study:
1.
Determined the extent to which
corps members accept the foods served to them at the Abia state orientation
camp
- Ascertained the food
neophobic levels of the corps members in Abia state NYSC orientation camp.
- Determined the NYSC
members’ reasons for rejecting some of the food served by NYSC orientation
camp kitchen.
- Suggested ways of improving NYSC camp food acceptability by
NYSC members in Abia state.
1.5 RESEARCH
HYPOTHESIS
The following null hypotheses
were tested at 0.05 level of significance
1
Ho1: there is no significant difference between the mean responses of
male and female NYSC members on food neophobic levels
2
Ho2: there is no significant
difference among the mean responses of Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba NYSC members on
the food neophobic levels.
3
Ho3: there is no significant
difference among the mean responses of corps members who graduated from each of
the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria on reasons for rejecting some of the
foods served by the NYSC orientation camp kitchen.
4
Ho4: there is no significant
difference among the mean responses of corps members from Igbo, Hausa and
Yourba on the suggested ways of improving camp food acceptability by NYSC
members in Abia state.
5
Ho5: there is no significant
difference between the mean responses of the batch 2018 ‘A’ and batch 2018 ‘B’
of NYSC members on the food neophobic levels.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be of great
benefits to young Nigerian graduates, NYSC camp organizers/officials,
parents/guardians, NYSC camp business owners and Research scholars who are
interested in food neophobia related studies.
This study will identify the
food related issues that confronts young graduates in their state of national
service as corps members. It will also identify from information provided by
the corps members, critical areas of challenges experienced by corps member in
the state with regards to their generally provided diet. The study will
recommend to the National body in charge of the NYSC program, as well as the NYSC
state coordinators/ officials alternative food roasters and meal combination
from other tribes to check for even satisfactions of corps members in the NYSC
program. These will be communicated to the relevant authorities through
presentations at summits, sensitization programs, seminars and publications.
NYSC camp organizers/ officials
will be beneficiaries of this study as it will aid in the development of a
better diet plan that puts into consideration factors related to food neophobia
which results in rejection of food thereby preventing food wastage and
improving cost effectiveness. The study will recommend alternative food roaster
and meal combinations to improve food acceptability by NYSC members and to
minimize food and cost wastage by the NYSC camp organizers. Feedback
information of this study will be given to the NYSC officials, seminars and
publications are some of the ways these benefits will be communicated to the
NYSC camp organizers/ officials through feedback information, seminars, media
and publications.
NYSC camp businesses belong to
food vendors who take advantage of the fact that some NYSC members reject the
camp kitchen food and seek alternatives in their bosom. This study via lectures
and interactions will enlighten the business owners on some of the reasons
these NYSC members come to them for patronage and also help them improve their
customer base by enhancing some of these qualities that will boost their
business patronage by suggestive teachings, seminars etc.
Parents
and guardians contribute to a child’s eating habit by teaching him/her in
various ways; what, how, when and how much to eat. Also parents transfer
cultural and family beliefs and practices surrounding food and their consumption
pattern to their children. The influence of parents/guardians on food habits is
significant as it is reflected on what is on the plate and the context in which
it is offered. This study will recommend to parents/guardians better ways of
developing children’s food habit in order to improve their food acceptability
as well as general adaptability abilities in preparation for the future which
can toss one to an entirely new location, nation, ethnicity, tribe or culture
as is the case with NYSC program. It will also create awareness to
parents/guardians (especially those who did not participate in the NYSC
program), the challenges their children/ wards face in assessing acceptable
food during the NYSC program, the financial requirements of feeding while in
camp, it will also enlighten parents and guardians on the phenomenon of food
neophobia and its associated challenges through social media, seminars,
workshops, village meetings, council meetings, churches, publications etc.
Research
scholars who are interested in food neophobia related studies will benefit from
this study as it will provide them with necessary information, background
study, and findings on food neophobia among NYSC members and young people in
general via reviewing the literature of this study. They can further these
studies as well as take basis on this study and improving on it. They will be
granted access to the work via publications, internet websites, seminar
presentation and obtaining firsthand information from the researcher
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study focused on
assessing the prevalence of food neophobia among NYSC members in Abia state. The
study was limited to determining the extent to which corps members accepted the
food served to them by the kitchen at Abia state orientation camp, ascertaining
the food neophobic level of NYSC members in Abia state, determining the NYSC members’
reasons for rejecting the food served to them and suggesting ways of improving
NYSC camp food acceptability by NYSC members in Abia state.
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