Nutritional Knowledge and Status of Secondary School Students in Port Harcourt
Chapter One
Objective of the study
The main objective of this study will be to examine the Nutritional knowledge and status of secondary school students in Port Harcourt. Specifically, the study will aim to:
- To determine the socio-demographic characteristics of secondary school adolescents.
- .To determine the nutrition knowledge of secondary school adolescents.
- To assess the dietary practices of secondary school adolescents.
- To determine the nutritional status of the secondary school adolescents.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Overview of adolescent Nutrition
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescents as individuals aged 10–19 years. Adolescent’s population has increased to 18% of the world population with 88 % living in developing countries. In Kenya the proportional population of adolescents is 22%. Adolescence is divided into three developmental periods: early adolescence is the first stage (10–14 years), middle adolescence is the second stage (15–17 years) and third stage is late adolescence (18-21 years), (Usman et al., 2017).
Adolescence is a vulnerable stage of life characterized by rapid growth and development and increased nutrients requirement. Adequate nutrition is crucial for achieving full growth potential, and failure to achieve optimal nutrition may lead to delayed and stunted linear growth and impaired organ remodeling. Approximately 50% of adult weight, 45% of the adult skeletal mass and 15% of adult height are gained during adolescence. Poor nutrition during adolescence may have long‐term consequences for adult health, and for girls, it can affect the survival, health, and well‐being of their children (Leroy et al., 2018).
. Nutrition knowledge of adolescents
Nutrition knowledge is defined as facts, information, and skills about nutrition and healthy eating acquired by a person through experience or education. Optimal nutrition knowledge has potential to improve ideal dietary habits and lifestyle. Inadequate nutrition knowledge is likely to lead to unhealthy dietary habits and poor nutrition status. Lack of nutrition knowledge can be the onset of poor dietary practice in adolescence and this can be carried over to adulthood. Promoting nutrition knowledge of adolescent is critical and has the potential to improve their dietary practices and lifestyle and on the other hand reducing incidences of obesity-related lifestyle diseases throughout the whole lifespan. Nutrition knowledge is not sufficient to change dietary habits and therefore there it is important to promote positive attitude toward healthy eating among adolescent (Kigaru et al., 2015).
With the current influx of high energy dense foods in Nigeria market together with huge change in dietary habits, improvement in socioeconomic and increase in televised food advertisements it is important to empower adolescent with nutrition knowledge to help them make healthy food choices. Good nutrition knowledge is one of the few modifiable determinants of dietary behaviors and contributes to strengthen the skills and abilities needed to resist the environmental influences leading to poor dietary habits. This will bring forth a healthy nation, break the tread of intergeneration malnutrition and prevent/delay development of (NCD) non-communicable diseases in adulthood (Poskitt et al., 2014).
Dietary practices of adolescents
Dietary practices is defined as preferred food choices by a person in day to day life. Optimal dietary practice in adolescence forms good eating habits, provides increased nutrients required for growth, good health, cognation and educational achievements in adolescents. Adolescence is critical stage of life for establishing good dietary habits and practices that help prevent or delay onset of non-communicable diseases. Eating habits acquired during adolescence can persist to adulthood (Humulka et al., 2018). Adolescents are at risk of nutrients inadequacies because their bodies undergo several physiological, emotional and sociological changes, they are also independent in nature and these factors may affect their eating habits negatively, hence unable to meet increased nutrients requirement (BeLue et al., 2016).
There is nutrition transition and paradigm shift from consuming tradition healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes to foods which are highly possessed and energy dense. These foods are predisposing adolescent to overweight and obesity and risk of developing chronic non communicable diseases that are reflected in adulthood. It is estimated that 20%–30% of adolescents and young adults are living with non-communicable diseases which are undiagnosed especially diabetes and hypertension (WHO, 2014).
Nutrition status of adolescents
Nutritional status is the balance between the intake of nutrients by an individual and the expenditure of these in the processes of growth, reproduction, and health maintenance. Body Mass Index (BMI) percentiles is be used to determine nutrition status of adolescents. Nutrition status is categorized as Underweight or thinness (less than 5th percentile), normal or healthy (5th percentile to less than 85th percentile), overweight (85th to less than 95th percentile), obese (equal or greater than 95th percentiles (CDC, 2000). Nutrition status of an individual is interrelated with factors influenced by quality and quantity of food consumed. Anthropometric indices indicate cumulative effect of quality and quantity of food consumption together with health factors (WHO 2014).
Nutrition status of adolescents is characterized by high levels of stunting and micronutrient deficiencies. There is also increased prevalence of obesity especially among the adolescents. The country is planning to make national move towards all health facilities adopting a youth friendly approach. This a positive move and a realistic goal that should be supported as it is likely to have a greater and more sustainable impact.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we will describe the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher will employ the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study will be carried out to examine the Nutritional knowledge and status of secondary school students in Port Harcourt. Selected secondary school students in Port Harcourt will form the population of the study.
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