@article{ijcn2016413,
author={{Nnebue, Chinomnso C and Ilika, Amobi L and Uwakwe, Kenechi A and Duru, Chukwuma B and Onah, Stanley K and Abu, Helen O and Oguejiofor, Ezinne O and Gbarage, Millicent T and Idoro, Sylvester A},
title={Feeding Practices and Determinants of the Nutritional Status of Pupils in a Public Primary School in Aladinma Owerri, Nigeria},
journal={International Journal of Clinical Nutrition},
volume={4},
number={1},
pages={12--18},
year={2016},
url={http://pubs.sciepub.com/ijcn/4/1/3},
issn={2376-1393},
abstract={<b>Background:</b> 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. <b>Objective</b>: To assess the feeding practices and determinants of the nutritional status of pupils in a public primary school in Aladinma Owerri, Nigeria. <b>Materials and methods: </b>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 ¡Ü 0.05 was considered significant. <b>Results:</b><b> </b>There were more females 158(52.7%) than males while the mean and median ages were 9.7¡À0.3 and 10.6¡À0.3 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. <b>Conclusions</b>: School¡¯s policies and programs that focus on promoting feeding practices and improving childhood nutrition will benefit children.},
doi={10.12691/ijcn-4-1-3}
publisher={Science and Education Publishing}
}