ABSTRACT
Dietary habit of adolescents particularly girls have been described as not the best, due to their busy schedules, peer pressure and interdependent nature of the behavour. It is therefore important that adolescents have reliable nutrition information that will guide them to make informed decisions regarding their dietary patterns and practices. The aim was to assess the nutritional status of adolescent girls in Obowo local government area, Imo state. A total of 394 adolescent girls were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. A questionnaire assessing the socio-economic status of the respondents, dietary habits, nutrition knowledge, and food frequency was administered to the participants. Anthropometric measurements was also taken which was assessed using WHO anthrop plus in classifying them into Height-for-age and BMI-for-age. Data were cleaned, coded and analyzed using SPSS Version 20.0. Some (40.9%) were within the age 14-16 years. More than half (52%) skipped meals. Out of which 33% skipped breakfast due to lack of time (7.9%) and lack of appetite (7.9%). Majority (96.7%) consumed snack such as egg roll/meatpie (37.6%), biscuit/drinks (30.7%) and gala (28.4%), daily (28.9%). About 37.6% usually eat when they were hungry and anytime. Most (60.7%) usually eat at home. Prevalence of stunting, underweight and overweight in this study was 8.4%, 2.3% and 5.3%, respectively. Majority (81.0%) had poor knowledge of nutrition while 17.5% and 1.5% had good and excellent knowledge of nutrition. There was significant difference (p>0.05) between the Height-for-age, BMI-for-age and their nutrition knowledge. About 25.9%, 27.4%, 25.4%, 19.3%, 26.4%, 27.2%, 20.3%, 22.8%, 23.9% and 16.5% consumed foods such as bread, golden morn, beans (moimoi, akara), goat meat, liquid milk, cheese, cocoyam, avocado pea, mango and curry leaf once a week. In conclusion, snacking should complement food but should not replace the three normal meals.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Dedication ii
Acknowledgement iii
Table of Contents iv
List of Table vii
Abstract viii
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of the Study 1
1.1 Statement of problem 2
1.2 Objectives of study 3
1.2.1 General objectives 3
1.2.2 Specific objectives 3
1.3 Significance of the Study 4
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Adolescence 5
2.1.1 Adolescent girls 6
2.1.2 The imperative on investing in adolescence 7
2.2 Health in Adolescence 9
2.3 Obesity in Adolescence 10
2.4 Nutritional Status 11
2.4.1 Methods of determining nutritional status 12
2.5 Food and Nutrition of Adolescents Girls 15
2.6 Nutritional Status of Adolescents 16
2.6.1 Energy and protein requirements 17
2.6.2 Mineral and micronutrient requirements 18
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIAL AND METHODS
3.1 Study Design 21
3.2 Area of Study 21
3.3 Population of the Study 22
3.4 Sampling and Sampling Techniques 22
3.4.1 Sample size 22
3.4.2 Sampling procedure 23
3.5 Preliminary Activities 23
3.5.1 Preliminary visit 23
3.5.2 Training of research assistants 24
3.5.3 Construction of questionnaire 24
3.5.4 Validation and pretesting of questionnaire 24
3.6 Data Collection 25
3.6.1 Questionnaire administration 25
3.6.2 Anthropometric measurement 25
3.6.2.1 Body weight 25
3.6.2.2 Height measurement 25
3.7 Data Analysis 26
3.8 Statistical Analysis 26
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Socio-Economic Status of the Adolescents Girls 27
4.2 Dietary Habit of the Adolescents Girls 34
4.3 Anthropometric indices of the Adolescent Girls 42
4.4 Nutrition knowledge of the Adolescent Girls 46
4.5 Relationship Between their Nutritional Knowledge and Nutritional Status 53
4.6 Frequency of Food Consumption among the Adolescent Girls 54
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Conclusion 62
5.2 Recommendations 62
REFERENCES 64
APPENDIX 74
LIST OF TABLES
Tables 4.1a: Socio-economic status of the respondents 28
Table 4.1b: Socio-economic status of the respondents 32
Tables 4.2a: Dietary habit of the Respondents 35
Table 4. 2c: Dietary habit of the Respondents 39
Tables 4.2d: Dietary habit of the Respondents 41
Table 4.3a: Mean Anthropometric indices of the Respondents 43
Table 4.3b: Prevalence of overweight, obesity and thinness among adolescent according to age 45
Table 4.4a: Nutrition Knowledge of the Respondents 46
Table 4.4b: Nutrition Knowledge Scores in Percentage (100) 51
Table 4.4c: Nutrition Knowledge Grade 52
Table 4.5: Relationship between their Nutritional Knowledge and Nutritional Status. 53
Table 4.6: Frequency of food consumption among the Adolescent Girls 55
Table 4.6b: Frequency of food consumption among the Adolescent Girls 59
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
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 (Ensiminger, 2000). 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. But Thompson (2008) stressed that the nutritional needs during adolescence are increased because of the increased growth rate and changes in the 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 adolescents’ nutritional status. Ackard (2003) emphasized that there are many body changes which results due to the influence of hormone.
World Health Organization (WHO) identifies adolescence as the period in human growth and development that occurs after childhood and before adulthood, from ages 10-19years (WHO 2000). 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 illness later on (Delsieet al, 2000). During this time, physical changes affect the body’s nutritional needs, while changes in one’s lifestyle may affect feeding habits and food choices (Duyff, 2002). According to World Health Organization, (2000) sound nutrition can play a role in the prevention of several chronic diseases, including obesity, coronary heart disease, certain types of cancer types of cancer, stroke, type II diabetes. For this reason, adolescence is a crucial time for girls today and profoundly influences the women and mothers that they will become tomorrow. The behaviors developed during adolescence are often determined by the social and economic environment in which adolescents grow up. Today, these environments are too often neither safe nor supportive. Actions are needed to ensure that societies and their health systems respond appropriately to the health and development needs of adolescent girls. 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).
Nutritional status simply describes the condition of the body as it relates to the consumption and utilization of food (Davison et al., 2006). An individual is said to have attained a good nutrition when the food supply is adequate and the individual must be able to select, obtain and consume food that will meet their nutrient needs (Davison et al., 2006). Anthropometry is the measurement of certain parameters of the human body and it is frequently used to assess nutritional status as well as growth and development of school aged children and adolescents (Shetty and James, 2010).
1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Adolescence is normally characterized by low levels of disease and death; it is the period of life when mortality rates are lowest. However, it is also a time of huge physical, social and emotional changes. In many settings, girls are not given the support they need to deal with these changes. The societies in which they live are unable to provide optimal conditions for their healthy development. As a result, girls may miss opportunities to progress successfully through the transition to adulthood, becoming vulnerable to behaviors that put their health at risk (World Population Prospects, 2008). However, it is also a time of huge physical, social and emotional changes. In many settings, girls are not given the support they need to deal with these changes. The societies in which they live are unable to provide optimal conditions for their healthy development. As a result, girls may miss opportunities to progress successfully through the transition to adulthood, becoming vulnerable to behaviours that put their health at risk (WHO, 2008).It is therefore important and necessary to look at the nutritional status of the adolescent girls so as to know how to educate them about their nutritional needs.
1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1.2.1 General Objective:
The general objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status of adolescent girls in Obowo local government area, Imo state.
1.2.2 Specific Objectives:
The specific objectives were to:
1. determine the socio – economic status of the respondents.
2. assess the nutrition knowledge of the respondents.
3. ascertain their dietary habits using food frequency questionnaire.
4. assess their nutritional status using anthropometric measurement.
5. evaluate the relationship between their nutritional knowledge and nutritional status.
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The findings from this study will provide necessary information on the nutritional status in the study area which will form base data or information for nutritionists, public health workers, policy makers of food nutrition and health. It will also help stakeholder in nutrition to draw up an appropriate intervention programmes for the adolescents. It will also help the nutritionists and counselors in counseling, others on how to inculcate good feeding habits among their adolescent girls. This study will also aid other researchers for further research in this area.
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