ABSTRACT

Adolescence is the only time following infancy when the rate of physical growth actually increases. For this to happen there is a greater demand for calories and nutrients. Thus, it is time of increased nutritional requirement. This study assesses the cultural and socioeconomic factor that influences the dietary choices and anthropometry status of adolescent students aged 10-19years attending secondary school in Abia state. Employing a cross-sectional design, data were analyzed using SPSS IBM version 25.0 for descriptive and correlation analyses, and WHO Anthro-Plus software to calculate Height-for-Age (HAZ) and BMI-for-Age (BAZ) scores. In this study result revealed that majority (54.3%), of the respondents were male while (45.7%) were female. Christianity (98.4 %), and for ethnicity it shows that majority are Igbo’s (97. 6%). While 31.7% of respondents acknowledged family traditions as key dietary influences, only 32.2% identified religious beliefs as restricting their food choices. Socioeconomic factors, such as food quality and affordability, played a prominent role, with 44.7% emphasizing food quality in their choices. Nutritional awareness was prevalent, as 59.1% reported consuming protein for healthy growth and 57.7% prioritized foods for health benefits. Commonly consumed foods included rice, bread, and fruits, while less accessible items like pork and bush meat were less frequently consumed. Anthropometric findings showed that (1.4%) of the respondents were severely wasted. (BMI-for-age below -3 SD), 60.1% of adolescents in the dataset fall within the "normal" BMI-for-age range (between -2 SD and +1 SD), Based on the respondents (37.5%) were categorized as being at "possible risk of overweight” BMI-for-age between +1 and +2 SD indicates overweight, and values above +2 SD and (5.0%) of the respondents were classified as overweight The relationship between anthropometric status, specifically BMI for age and socioeconomic factors among respondents was investigated. Sex shows a significant correlation with BMI-for-age (p=0.056). Religion also shows a significant relationship with BMI-age (p=0.053). These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, including nutrition education and policy reforms, to address malnutrition and promote sustainable healthy eating habits. This research provides valuable insights for improving adolescent nutrition in Nigeria, contributing to enhanced health outcomes and overall well-being.