FACTORS INFLUENCING THE DIETARY PATTERN AND ANTHROPOMETRIC STATUS OF ADULTS IN IKWUANO L.G.A, ABIA STATE

REFERENCES

APPENDIX 

An adult is a human being that has reached sexual maturity, adults are categorized by age into young adults (ages 18-35 years), middle-aged adults (ages 36-55 years) and older adults (aged older than 55 years) (Gerontological Society of America, 2010). Diet and nutrition play important roles in maintaining health and preventing diseases thus, improving the nutritional status (Department of Health and Nutritional Status, 2009). Dietary pattern can be seen as the quantities, proportions, variety or combination of different foods, drinks and nutrition in diet and the frequency with which they are habitually consumed. Meal pattern and food intake are markers for nutrients intakes and diet quality (Kerveret al., 2006). The key features of dietary patterns among adults includes, snacking, skipping meal, breakfast skipping, confectionery and fast food eating (Chitra, 2007).

In every adulthood, people expand in their social experience (Sobal and Nelson, 2003). They will temporarily change eating patterns as they eat around different people in social setting (Young et al., 2009). It was noted that women were willing to be more flexible in food choices than men (Connors et al., 2001). Income and education are one of the factors that influence dietary pattern. As people expand their career and combine income, they potentially should also secure more finances to have greater food purchasing power and increase food purchased from all food categories (Bove et al., 2003). The difference in food intake between adult men and women are due to sexual socio-economic and physiological factors (Gregory, 2000). Age also has an effect on dietary pattern. Traditional food practices and beliefs are more widespread among older people than younger people. Adults in every age are still in a progressive life stage in terms of career and family. When people are at home, they may usually consume home prepared meals but when they are outside, they tend to eat out in restaurants or ready to eat or processed food (Pender, 2003). Various studies on diet and nutrition intake of adults in the developed world have shown that their diets are often high in fats and refined carbohydrate. An individual is said to have good health when he/she maintains an appropriate diet, exercise and other lifestyle modifications such as self-designed and determined daily habits related to eating, exercise and social life (Blake et al., 2008). But lack of physical activity and outdoor sports, along with the consumption of fat-rich “junk food” predisposes an individual to cardio vascular disease and obesity. Dietary pattern and food intake are influenced by myriad factors that critically affect the nutritional and health status of adults (Jose, 2009). When the diet supplies adequate amount of all necessary nutrients and the individual is healthy, the person is well-nourished. In developing countries such as Nigeria, young adult have been found to be malnourished due to inadequate or excessive intake of one nutrient or the other. Nutritional problems such as obesity and overweight are common among adults. Some of the predisposing factors to these problems were seen to be high socioeconomic class, sedentary lifestyle and consumption of high energy diet (Okaka, 2002).

 

Health and nutrition are known to be closely related. Nutrition can have an effect on one’s health either by improving it or making it deteriorate, likewise health can also affect nutrition by either improving the individual’s appetite or making it deteriorate (Nidhi et al., 2014). An individual’s dietary pattern affects resting energy expenditure, body fat, bone fat, bone density, serum cholesterol and many other situations (Andersson, 2000; Chapelot, 2006).   Good nutritional status in adults is decided by proper nutritional knowledge, eating habits, food behaviors which play an important role not only in the improvement of physical development but also in the maintenance of mental and emotional stabilization(Newman, 2006; Ricciardelli, 2003). 

The occurrence of nutritional problems like anaemia, may develop due to lack of knowledge and awareness. Poor knowledge on nutrition among adults can lead to unhealthy eating practices and an unhealthy community (Herdon, 2002).The level of nutrition amongst the global population is relatively high but many people do not know how to apply it Nutrition therefore influences dietary pattern to a certain extent (Hernack, Block and Lane, 1997; Oruh, 2012). Poor dietary habit is widely recognized as an important risk factor in developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).There is a relationship between income level and food intake, low-income groups tend to consume lower amount of food than high-income groups (Dibsdall and Bisogni, 2003).Diseases, physical and psychological changes can make people feel helpless and hopeless about the lack of control over food choices (Fiatarone et al., 2009).Most adults have similar dietary pattern which do not comply with recommendation such as the FAO/WHO required nutrient intake and as a result, their dietary patterns are associated with obesity which is known to be a risk factor for coronary heart disease(CHD), cancer and type II diabetes mellitus. Thus, the present study is aimed at assessing the factors influencing the dietary pattern and anthropometric status of adults in Ikwuano L.G.A, Abia State. 

 

The general objective of this study is to assess the factors influencing dietary pattern and anthropometric status of adults in Ikwuano, L.G.A of Abia State.

The specific objectives are to:

1. identify the factors affecting the dietary pattern of adults in Ikwuano L.G.A.

2. assess the dietary pattern of the subject using 24 hour recall and food frequency questionnaire.

3. assess their nutritional status using anthropometric measurement.

4. determine the effect of some of the factors identified and dietary patterns on their anthropometric status.

The findings from this work will have important implications for nutrition education research and practice. It will also go a long way to help in the planning and evaluation of public health programs .The observed nutritional status and food consumption pattern will form a basis from which the Nutritionists and Home Economists will educate adults on healthy feeding habits and suggest plans for improved nutritional status through adjustment in their dietary pattern. This study will also help the Local and State Government to participate in comprehensive programs in order to inform adults about dietary recommendations and about ways to integrate it into eating patterns.