ABSTRACT
The study was carried out to assess the dietary habits and nutrition education activities of secondary school students in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State. The study was carried out in six study centers in Aba South urban areas. Two hundred and eight students were used for the study (males and females).Background characteristics and other information were determined using well structured questionnaire. Dietary habits were assessed using a structured questionnaire on dietary feeding, food preferences and consumption of fruits and vegetables. Nutrition knowledge of the respondents was assessed based on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) using 10 general nutrition knowledge questions, 10 questions on nutrition attitude and 10 questions on nutrition practices. Their participation in nutrition education activities was also assessed. Results indicate that the respondents (61.1%) were 16-18 years while 33.2% were within the age bracket of 13-15 years. On the dietary habits of the respondents, (71.6%) of the students ate 3 times daily and 16.8% of them ate 4 times daily. Majority (87.0%) of the students ate food based on availability of food. Very few of the students (16.8%) skipped their meals and they mostly skipped lunch (65.7%) while only a few (34.3%) skipped breakfast. All (100%) of the students consumed snacks and the snack consumed most was biscuits (87.5%). The result on consumption of fruits and vegetables revealed that more than half (61.1%) of the students consumed fruits at least 2 times weekly and slightly above half (55.3%) of the students consumed vegetables at least 3 times weekly. Food preference result showed that majority (92.3%) of the students preferred rice as opposed to cassava. The overall nutrition knowledge grade of the students showed that almost half (45.7%) of the students had average nutritional knowledge while only (27.4%) of the students had good nutrition knowledge while the overall attitude rating showed that many of the students (83.6%) had positive attitude towards nutrition. Their nutrition practices showed that almost half (44.7%) of the students always wash their vegetables before cutting them while (44.2%) of the students either wash before or after cutting. Forty percent of the students consume carbonated drinks regularly while (44.7%) consume carbonated drinks sometimes. This study further revealed that slightly above half (51.0%) of the students brushed their teeth twice a day, (72.1%) of the students brushed with toothbrush and toothpaste while (72.1%) of them only change their toothbrush when it gets old. Based on their participation in nutrition education activities, all (100%) the students had a subject or course on food and nutrition in their schools which also include home economics. About sixty percent of the students were exposed to cooking/practical demonstrations, (33.7%) participated in nutrition role plays while very few of the respondents (5.8%) were involved in nutrition presentations. Majority (94.2%) of the students had engaged in home gardening. In conclusion, this study shows that most secondary school students consume snacks and that a fraction of secondary school students participate in nutrition education activities which had affected their eating or dietary habit mostly in the reduction of meal skipping.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Table of Contents v
List of Tables viii
Abstract ix
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1
Statement of problem 4
1.2
Objectives 5
1.3
Significance of study 6
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
Concept of dietary habits 7
2.2
Determinants of dietary habits 8
2.3
Factors affecting dietary habits of adolescents 8
2.3.1
Family environment 7
2.3.2
General parental influences 9
2.3.3
Maternal influences 10
2.3.4
Paternal influences 10
2.3.5
Family meals 11
2.3.6
Television at meal times 12
2.3.7
Education and socio economic status 13
2.3.8
Obesogenic environment 13
2.3.9
Media influences 13
2.4
Dietary assessment tools 14
2.4.1
Food balance sheet 14
2.4.2
Household consumption and expenditure survey 15
2.4 3
Food Frequency Questionnaire 15
2.4.4
Twenty-four hours dietary recall 16
2.4.5
Dietary history 17
2.4.6
Estimated food record 17
2.4.7
Weighed food record 18
2.4.8
Duplicate meal method 19
2.5
Nutrition education 19
2.5.1
The need for nutrition education 20
2.5.2
Nutrition education in schools 20
2.5.3
Goals of nutrition education 21
2.6
Nutrition education program 22
2.7
Nutrition education activities in school 23
CHAPTER 3
MATERIALS AND METHOD
3.1
Study design 26
3.2
Area of study 26
3.3
Population of the study 27
3.4
Sampling and sampling techniques 27
3.4.1
Sample size determination 27
3.4.2
Sampling procedure 28
3.5
Preliminary activities 28
3.5.1
Preliminary visits 28
3.5.2
Training of research assistants 29
3.5.3
Informed consent 29
3.6
Data collection 29
3.6.1
Questionnaire design 29
3.6.2
Questionnaire administration 30
3.7
Data analysis 30
3.8
Statistical analysis 30
CHAPTER 4
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1
Demographic characteristics of the secondary school students 32
4.2
Socio-economic characteristics of the parents or guardians 34
4.3
Dietary habits of the students 38
4.4
Nutrition knowledge of the secondary school students 44
4.4.1
Nutrition practices and attitudes by the secondary school students 48
4.5
Participation in nutrition education activities among the students 53
CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1
Conclusion 56
5.2
Recommendation 57
REFERENCES 58
APPENDIX 70
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1
Demographic characteristics of the secondary school students 33
Table 4.2a
Socio-economic characteristics of the parents or guardians 36
Table 4.2b
Socio-economic characteristics of the parents or guardians contd. 37
Table 4.3a Dietary
habits of the secondary school students 41
Table 4.3b Dietary
habits of the secondary school students contd. 42
Table 4.4a
Nutritional Knowledge of the secondary school students 46
Table 4.4b
Nutritional Knowledge of the secondary school students contd. 47
Table 4.5a
Nutrition attitude of secondary school students 50
Table 4.5b Summary
of students attitude towards nutrition 50
Table 4.6a
Nutritional practices of secondary school students 51
Table 4.6b
Nutritional practices of secondary school students contd . 52
Table 4.7
Participation of students in nutrition education activities 55
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
The
significance of nutrition education activities engaged in by secondary school
students in order to have a positive influence on their dietary habits, food
choices and general health should not be underestimated(Essien et al.,
2014). Schools play an important role in helping students establish healthy
eating behaviours by providing nutritious and appealing foods and beverages,
consistent and accurate messages about good nutrition and ways to learn about
and practice healthy eating (CDC, 2019). Nutrition education and its activities
are a combination of educational strategies accompanied by environmental
supports, designed to facilitate voluntary adoption of food choices and other
food and nutrition-related behaviour conducive to health and well-being. It can
be delivered through multiple venues and involve activities at the individual,
community and policy levels (USDA, 2018).
The
role of healthy eating in the prevention of chronic and infectious diseases has
been well documented. A balanced diet and consumption of food prepared in
accordance with good practices are factors that contribute to maintaining a
healthy lifestyle (Kastorini et al., 2010). Dietary habits in childhood
and adolescence impact growth, development and the prevalence of disease
throughout the life cycle. Healthy eating habits should thus be established
during childhood and adolescence (Essien et al., 2014).
Dietary
habits are the habitual decisions of individuals or group of people regarding
what foods they eat. Proper dietary choices require the consumption of
vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Dietary habits and choices
play a significant role in human health (Preedy and Watson, 2010).
According
to the World Health Organization (2020), dietary recommendations for
individuals involve balancing energy intake with energy expenditure to avoid
unhealthy weight gain. This diet includes limiting intake of free sugars,
reducing salt intake and a shift in fat consumption away from saturated fats
and trans fat to unsaturated fat and also gearing towards the goal of
eliminating industrially-produced trans fat.
It
is the position of the academy of nutrition and dietetics that children and
adolescents should have access to safe and healthy foods that promote physical,
cognitive and social growth and development
(Roy et al., 2018). Adolescence is a
transitional phase of growth and development between childhood and adulthood
which normally occur between the ages of 10 and 19. At this age most of these
adolescents are in secondary schools (Csikszentmihalyi, 2021). Secondary school
students are children in the second stage in their formal education which
usually begins about the age of 11 to 13 and end usually between the ages of 15
to 18 (Britannica, 2018). In Nigeria 57% of males and 43% of females attend
secondary schools (NDHS, 2018). Since poor nutritional practices, choices and
dietary habits have been shown to increase during adolescence, the need for
nutrition education activities becomes clear.
Nutrition
education can be defined as any set of learning experiences designed to
facilitate the voluntary adoption of eating and other nutrition related
behaviours conducive to health and well being. It should include information on
physical activity in addition to nutrition. Nutrition education programs make
available information and guidance pertaining to food, nutrition, behavioural
practices, consumer issues and information on physical activities (Washington State
Department of Social and Health services, 2021).
Nutrition
education has a broad vision which encompasses educational strategies and
environmental supports to encourage the adoption of healthier, sustainable food
choices and eating patterns. It goes beyond giving information to foster
critical thinking, attitudinal change and practical skills, as well as
integrated actions to facilitate and enable health conducive food behaviours
and environment. It takes place in multiple settings, targeting different
population groups and utilizing a variety of channels, tools and materials
(Piscopo, 2019).
The
main goal of nutrition education is to make people aware of what constitutes a
healthy diet and ways to improve their diet and their lifestyles. This can be
done through different channels although in general this occurs within schools
targeting young children since food habits in early stages of life are said to
determine practices and preferences in adulthood (Eat well, 2011).
Nutrition
education activities consist of visual, verbal information and instruction to
participants and caregivers in a group or individual settings. The presentation
or activities may be led by a nutritionist, registered dietitian, someone else
overseen by a nutritionist or dietitian or individual with comparable
expertise. Examples of nutrition education activities include: presentations,
cooking classes, food preparation demonstrations, field trips, plays, panel
discussions, planning or evaluating menus, food tasting sessions, questions and
answer sessions, gardening, physical fitness programs and videos (Washington
state Department of Social and Health services, 2021).
In
conclusion, nutrition education and its activities are vital parts of a
comprehensive health education program that empowers children and adolescents
with knowledge and skills to make healthy food and beverage choices therefore
creating opportunities for it in schools is very important (Price et al., 2017).
1.1
Statement of the problem
Poor
nutritional choices, practices and dietary habits have been shown to increase
during adolescence. An unbalanced diet with a reliance on energy-dense but
nutrient poor foods is one of many contributing but important factors to the
obesity epidemic (Health Behaviour in School-aged children, 2012).
In
Nigeria, meal skipping, consumption of fast foods along with soft drinks and
low consumption of fruits and vegetables were the main eating habits displayed
by adolescent urban school girls in Benin City. The study found out that 60% of
the participants consumed fast foods and 76% of them consumed fast foods along
with soft drinks (Onyiriuka et al., 2013).
In
another study carried out among secondary school children in Abuja municipal,
poor dietary habits were identified among adolescents and malnutrition
especially stunting and wasting were identified among those that skipped meals
and took fruits and vegetables (Otuneye et al., 2017).
Although
there are various modes of nutrition education activities, the effectiveness on
dietary habits remains unclear hence this research work which investigated the
dietary habits and nutrition education activities of secondary school students
in Aba South local government area.
1.2
Objectives
1.2.1
General objective
The
general objective of the study was to determine the dietary habits and
nutrition education activities of secondary school students in Aba South local
government area.
1.2.2
Specific objectives
The specific objectives of the study were to:
1. Determine
the demographic characteristics of secondary school students in Aba South local
government area.
2. Determine
the socio-economic characteristics of their parents or guardians.
3. Determine
the dietary habits of these students.
4. Assess
the nutrition knowledge of these students.
5. Evaluate
their participation in any nutrition education activity.
1.3
Significance of the study
This
study will ascertain the current dietary habits of secondary school students in
Abia state.
The
findings from this study will be used by nutritionists, nutrition educators,
dietitians, program implementers and stakeholders to implement programs that
can improve the dietary habits of adolescents.
The
study will allow the Abia government to see the need of introducing nutrition
education and its activities into the curriculum of secondary schools.
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