RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AWARENESS AND PRACTICE OF NOURISHMENT AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KADUNA STATE: IMPLICATIONS FOR COUNSELLING

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between nutritional awareness and practice among secondary school students in Kaduna State. The study was guided by four objectives, four research questions and four null hypotheses these were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Correlational Design was used in this study. The Population of the study consists of 3,514 senior secondary schools in Kaduna State. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 10% of the population of the 342 respondents, 12 schools from the 4 educational zones were randomly selected. The instrument used for data collection is a structured questionnaire called Students   Questionnaire on Nutritional Awareness and Practice, (SQNAP) developed by the researcher and it consists of two sections, section A requests for the demographic information of the respondents while section B consists of 18 questions Nutritional Awareness and 12 questions on Practices. Descriptive statistics of frequency counts simple percentage mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the research questions. Null hypotheses one, two and three were tested with Pearson Product Moment Correlation, while null hypotheses four was tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).  All hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The Results of the analysis reveal that significant relationship exist between nutritional awareness and practice among secondary school students in Kaduna State. There is no significant relationship between nutritional awareness and practice of nutrition of male students. There is no significant relationship between nutritional awareness and practice of nutrition among female students‘ secondary school in Kaduna State. There is no significant relationship among age group on nutritional awareness. Significant relationship exists among age groups in nutritional practices in Kaduna State.  This shows that the older the students‘ age group, the higher nutritional practices.  It was recommended that when counsellors are to give counselling on nutrition and practice to students there should be no gender discrimination. It was also recommended that the government, NGO and counsellors should try to carry the rural students along in the awareness of nutrition. Proper nutrition regardless of age the nutritional counselling intervention programmes should cover all groups of human being and locations.

CHAPTER ONE

                                                 INTRODUCTION

1.1        Background to the Study

The need for nutritional awareness and practices for the health of the students in Nigerian secondary schools cannot be over-emphasized. There have been considerable changes in human lifestyle all over the world in the recent decades, especially in recent years. The lifestyle of man has rapidly changed, and these changes appeared in diet or types of food, cooking time and methods Amamoto,  Dozono and Adoyama  (2004). According to Sampfer.  Huf. And Mansen (2000) processed foods are gradually replacing non –processed ones, which is not healthy enough for the growing student health. Awareness of nutrition and nutritional practices is one of the most important aspects of lifestyle. Olumakaiye (2013), states that many male and female students in developing countries like Nigeria enter adolescence undernourished or obese, making them more vulnerable to disease and early death.  Undernourishment may lead to poor academic performance among secondary school students. Amamoto etal (2004), states that epidemiological evidence shows that there is an increase incidence of diseases such as (Cardiovascular diseases, obesity, high blood pressure and cancer) which can be attributed to changes in lifestyle as well as changes in nutritional habits.

Nutritional education is also one of the important aspects that plays vital role in nutritional awareness and ultimately the health of the society. Timm, and Willett (2005) says in order to remain healthy and physically active and enjoy a healthier life style, it is necessary to obtain good nutrition awareness and practice it. The relationship between nutrition awareness and practice must be considered in order to promote the health of the students. The right of all young school children to health and nutritional awareness are enshrined in international legal instruments. In 2003, the committee on the convention of the Rights of the child (CCRC) issued a general comment and one of the comments is that special health and development needs (food), are the rights of the adolescents and young people and they should therefore enjoy highest attainable standard of health to develop in a well balanced manner. Undernutrition may reduce the mental alertness of the students which later can result to poor academic performance, with CCRC comment; students should have high level of awareness of nutrition which subsequently may lead to more food-conscious society and healthier students in Kaduna state.

Awareness and Practice of nutrition can play an important role in promoting lifelong healthy eating because dietary factors contribute substantially to the burden of preventable illness and premature death. USDA encourage schools to provide nutrition education from preschools and that nutrition education may be educational component of all child nutrition programs and that it should be offered in all schools, because diet influences the potential for learning as well as health, the USDA also made a statement that an objective of the first national education goals is that children ―receive the nutrition and health care needed to arrive at school with healthy minds and bodies‖. With this, students are more likely to learn and change positively when community can engage their resources and services to respond to the nutritional needs of the students.  Awareness about healthy food choice and food safety can be a predisposing factor for improving eating habits and adopting healthy diet. Gates and De Lucia(1998),are of the opinion that it is not easy to motivate healthy eating without awareness. Nutritional practices refer to food consumption habit, choice, selection or the adopted pattern of eating by different groups of people, Flynn, Neil, Maloff, Mutasingwa and Flord 2006). Factors influencing eating behaviour need to be better understood to develop effective nutrition intervention; this should be tailored towards individuals to improve their healthy eating habits Zaho and Zahi, (2001). In the magazine of Flag of the Benue State Maternal New Born and Child Health week program, it was stated that Nigeria is the second highest in the world after Indian that has been attributed to have higher level of under nutrition among children, Ejembi (2014), no fewer than 12 million Nigerian children suffer stunted growth due to poor feeding practices and diseases. With

Ejembi‘s statement therefore, it can be concluded that nutrition awareness and practice programme for healthy eating among the students in Kaduna state, as well as getting in touch with their parents is needed. Thus, the more awareness and practice of nutrition among students the more educational alertness the students become.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

By incorporating nutrition into the secondary school educational level  traditionally creates awareness as a means of reducing illness, although  nutrition problems come as result of students eating habits  Devaney (2009), because  they enjoyed the sweetness of the food and perhaps forgetting the hazards in eating too much of some of the sugary food and also some habits like eating and drinking water at the same time, now  lead to serious complications such as gastrointestinal problem, indigestion, deficiency of some nutrients may result to stunted or defective bone growth, iron deficiency which can result to anaemic or blood disorder that can cause fatigued, weakness and more others.

Students tend to practice wrong eating habits such as fast foods dosed with sugar, thus making greater number of young people suffer from illnesses which hinder their ability to grow and develop full potentials. The World Health Organization (WHO 2000) estimated that, by 2020 non-communicable diseases will be the cause of nearly threequarters of total death in the developed world. In addition to World Health Organization; lack of nutrients in food causes weight loss, cognitive problems such as short- term memory loss, nerve and muscle damage. Currently, one major cause of noncommunicable diseases is practicing unhealthy diet which may result to overweight and underweight. This could be the central health problem in this 21st century. With nutritional awareness, students in Nigeria are expected to maintainin health and avoid different diseases especially chronic illnesses such as heart diseases, cancer, and loss of sight, poor wound healing and poor memory.  Daily practice of eating good food can help meet with physical, psychological and sociological demands to cope with life challenges.

The problem of hunger and poverty among the developing countries has been a matter of global concern. Many children die before school age those that survive suffer from severe hunger, malnutrition and diseases which affect their learning abilities in school, (WFP,1996). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO, (1998) estimation, 300 million children in developing countries were chronically hungry, without proper breakfast, students are mostly distracted in the classroom and hardly stay alert and concentrate during lesson. This may likely be the reason why most students in Kaduna State public schools hardly stay in classroom till closing time and absent themselves from school within the week. Ekeh (1996). Ekpenyoung (1998) states that students in secondary schools neither possess adequate knowledge of nutritional values nor practice good nutritional behaviour as a result of which students manifest poor health development and poor eye sight.

Awareness of nutrition and practice can assist students to understand the significant benefit in nutrition, and that eating a healthy diet is associated with improved cognitive function (especially memory), this also may reduce absenteeism and improve mood, Holyland, Dye Lawton (2009). One of the problems students in Kaduna state may likely encounter also could be inability to read the food labels to know the nutrient content. For this, an investigation into the Nutritional awareness and practice among students of secondary schools in Kaduna State is required. This study therefore seeks to find out the relationship between nutritional awareness and practice in Kaduna State.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

This study has the following objectives to:

1. To determine the relationship between awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition among secondary school students in Kaduna State;
2. To assess the relationship between awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition among male students‘ eating habits of secondary school in Kaduna State;
3. To assess the relationship between awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition among female students‘ eating habits of secondary school in Kaduna State.
4. To determine the relationship between awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition among rural secondary school students in Kaduna State based on Location;
5. To determine the relationship between awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition among urban secondary school students in Kaduna State.
6. To assess the relationship between awareness of nutrition among age groups of secondary school students in Kaduna State.
7. To assess the relationship between practice of nutrition among different age groups of students of secondary school in Kaduna State.

1.4        Research Questions

The following research questions serve as guide to this study:

1. What is the relationship between awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition among secondary school students in Kaduna State?
2. What is the relationship between awareness of nutrition and the practice of nutrition among male students‘ eating habits at secondary school in Kaduna State?
3. What is the relationship between awareness of nutrition and practices of nutrition among female students‘ eating habits at secondary school in Kaduna State?
4. What is the relationship between awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition among rural secondary school students in Kaduna State?
5. What is the relationship between awareness of nutrition and practices of nutrition among urban secondary school students in Kaduna State?
6. What is the relationship between awareness of nutrition among age groups of secondary school students? In Kaduna State?
7. What is the relationship between practices of nutrition among age groups of secondary school students in Kaduna State?

1.5        Research Hypotheses

The following are the research hypotheses for testing at < 0.05:

HO₁:  There is no significant relationship between awareness of nutrition and practice  of nutrition among secondary school students in Kaduna State.

HO₂:  There is no significant relationship between awareness of nutrition and the  practice of nutrition among male students eating habits secondary school in

Kaduna State.

HO₃ There is no significant relationship between awareness of nutrition and the  practice of nutrition among female students eating habits secondary school in  Kaduna State.

HO₄:  There is no significant relationship between awareness of nutrition and practice  of nutrition among rural secondary school students in Kaduna State.

HO₅ There is no significant relationship between awareness of nutrition and practice  of nutrition among urban secondary school students in Kaduna State.

HO₆  There is no significant relationship between awareness of nutrition  among age  groups of secondary school students in Kaduna State

HO₇      There is no significant relationship between  practice sof nutrition among age  groups of secondary school students in Kaduna State.

1.6        Basic Assumptions

For the purpose of this study, the following assumptions are made:

1. Awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition can bring about desired change in healthy lifestyle among secondary school students in Kaduna State.
2. The level at which awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition influence male students‘ eating habits may differ depending on the students‘ exposure in the school or at home.
3. The level at which awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition influence female students‘ eating habits may differ depending on the students‘ exposure in the school or at home

• The influence of awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition may differ among rural secondary school students in Kaduna State.
• The influence of awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition may differ among urban secondary school students in Kaduna State.
• The age of the students in Kaduna state secondary school may have influence on their awareness.
• The age of the students in Kaduna state secondary school may have influence on their practices.

1.7        Significance of the Study

The findings of the study would be of great significance to:

Counsellors, Students, Dieticians, Curriculum planners, Parents, Communities, Health service workers and Non- Governmental Organization (NGOs). It is hoped that the findings of the study would benefit Counsellors to assist the students early on the types of food they should feed on so as to boost their mental health, physical, psychological and sociological well being. Dieticians will benefit, in the sense that safe food and adequate nutrition are important to Nigerians, the result of the study will help dieticians to enlighten students on the types of food to feed on in order to boost their immune system or to reduce fats from the body.

The students would also appreciate the fact that eating proper nutrition promotes optimal growth and development of children and that healthy eating helps prevent sicknesses. Curriculum planners would find relevant and useful information to teachers to incorporate nutritional knowledge in the lesson time table in order to educate students early enough so that they have future healthy lifestyle.

It is also expected that the findings of the study would create awareness for parents on how to practice or portray healthy eating patterns for their children that is, what to eat and at what time they should eat and to also know the combination of the food students should eat or dwell on in order to have a well-developed reproductive organ. With the awareness of nutrition and practice of nutrition, parents can also help prevent students from becoming obese or anaemic.

Furthermore, the study would be of significant help to the community and NGOs as the awareness will help them synthesize the kind of food allowed in the society and as well as getting in touch with the producers of the food in Kaduna state. It would serve as a guide to the health personnel during health talk or giving health education to the public. Hopefully, the study would provide first-hand information to professionals and other allied personnel such as psychologists, prison workers, police and judges to be aware of those foods that are good for the body. For further research, other researchers should find out the quantity of elements content in food to be taken per meal.

1.8        Scope and Delimitation of the Study

             The study would cover selected public secondary schools in Giwa, Anchau, Lere, Godo—Godo, Zonkwa, would be used to cover all the rural areas. While the

Urban area would be Sabo-Tasha, Birnin-Gwari, Zaria, Riga-Chukun, Kafanchan and Kachia.  The study will also cover students within the age range of 12- 18 years. The private schools will not be involved and those above 18 years  will not be included in this study.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AWARENESS AND PRACTICE OF NOURISHMENT AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KADUNA STATE: IMPLICATIONS FOR COUNSELLING

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