ABSTRACT

The nutritional status of one hundred and twenty workers aged 25- 50 years, from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike was assessed using weighed food intake to determine their nutrient intake and anthropometry to measure their size, weight and body proportions. The percentages for sex were, 45.8% and 54.2% for males and females, respectively. Forty-six percent of the respondents fell within the family size of 4-6. Majority of the respondents (5 5%) ate three times a day. The mean energy intakes 9f both the male and female workers were 2500.20± 717.609kca1/day and 1808.33 ± 705.9kca1/day respectively. Carbohydrate supplied 57.21% of the daily energy intake of the males and 62.06% of that of the females. Fat supplied 12.01% of the daily energy intake of the males and 1 5.36% of that of the females. Protein supplied 30.5% of the daily energy intake of t1c ma1s and 22.57% of that of the females. The result of the consumption pattern showed that 72.3% and 66.7% consumed garri and fufu, respectively from root and tuber crops, 54.3% and 72.8% of akara and moi-moi from legumes, 80.2% and 85.9% of maize an4 pap from cereals, 86.8% and 919% of banana and avocado from fruits and 89.7%, 88.7% and 86.3% of ukazi, uziza and water leaf from vegetables. Many of the high income earners (38.2%) and middle income earners (32.2%) had normal nutritional status than the low income earners 28.9%. The result of the anthropometry showed that 41.8 % of the male workers were normal, 3.6% were malnourished, 40.8% were overweight while 12.7% were obese. Among the females, 40% were normal, 1.5% were malnourished, 21.5% were overweight while 36.9% were obese