Feeding Practices and Determinants of the Nutritional Status of Pupils in a Public Primary School in Aladinma Owerri, Nigeria

Chinomnso C Nnebue^1, , Amobi L Ilika², Kenechi A Uwakwe³, Chukwuma B Duru³, Stanley K Onah⁴, Helen O Abu⁵, Ezinne O Oguejiofor⁵, Millicent T Gbarage⁵ and Sylvester A Idoro⁵

¹Department of HIV Care and Department of Community Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching HospitalNnewi, Nigerias

²Department of Community Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University/University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria

³Department of Community Medicine, Imo State University/University Teaching HospitalOrlu, Nigeria

⁴Department of Pediatrics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nigeria

⁵Department of Community Medicine, Madonna University Elele, Nigeria

Cite this paper:
Chinomnso C Nnebue, Amobi L Ilika, Kenechi A Uwakwe, Chukwuma B Duru, Stanley K Onah, Helen O Abu, Ezinne O Oguejiofor, Millicent T Gbarage and Sylvester A Idoro. Feeding Practices and Determinants of the Nutritional Status of Pupils in a Public Primary School in Aladinma Owerri, Nigeria. International Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016; 4(1):12-18. doi: 10.12691/ijcn-4-1-3

Abstract

Background: Poor feeding practices with its consequence of malnutrition is a serious impediment to child health, growth and development. Thus, periodic assessment of the nutritional status and factors affecting it among this often neglected group remains imperative. Objective: To assess the feeding practices and determinants of the nutritional status of pupils in a public primary school in Aladinma Owerri, Nigeria. Materials and methods: This was a descriptive cross sectional study of 300 pupils of a selected public primary school in Aladinma Owerri, Nigeria. The sampling was done in two stages. Data was collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and analysed using statistical package for social sciences version 22.0. Nutritional assessment was done using anthropometric parameters, while Chi-square test was used to identify statistically significant associations between variables. A p value of ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There were more females 158(52.7%) than males while the mean and median ages were 9.7±0.3 and 10.6±0.3 years respectively. Two hundred and sixty five (88.3%) of them fed at least thrice daily, 92(30.7%) skipped breakfast regularly, while 215(71.7%) had school meals during break period. There were statistically significant associations between Body Mass Index for age (Underweight, Normal and Overweight cum Obese) and [sex (p=0.0121); number of siblings (p=0.013), mothers’ educational status (p=0.001) and number of meals per day (p=0.005)] respectively. Conclusions: School’s policies and programs that focus on promoting feeding practices and improving childhood nutrition will benefit children.

Keywords:
Anthropometry nutritional status feeding practices school children Owerri Nigeria

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