ABSTRACT

The fast growing global population and changing climate are shifting weather to more extreme events thereby aggravating food productivity and increasing hunger which could affect the nutritional status of female adolescents. The aim of this study was to assess the household food security, dietary pattern and nutritional status among female adolescents in Umuahia Urban District. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 253 households having at least one female adolescent. Household food insecurity was measured through an interviewer-administered Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Anthropometric measurements were collected using standard procedures. Body Mass Index (BMI)-for-age was considered in evaluating the nutritional status of adolescent girls. Association between HFIAS and anthropometric measures of nutritional status were also determined. The study revealed that the household food insecurity status of households in Umuahia is high (65.77%) with 19.11% households severely food insecure. 28.9% of the female adolescents evaluated were underweight while 15.6 and 6.2% were overweight and obese respectively. No significant association (P>0.05) was found between household food insecurity scores and anthropometric measures of nutritional status of the female adolescents in this report. However, the data showed that majority of the underweight female adolescents were from food insecure households. The increased food insecurity in recorded in the study area may likely have contributed to the poor nutritional status seen among the female adolescents in this study. The study recommends the government should make policies that would encourage food security.