ABSTRACT

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy has gained interest over the years due to understanding that there is an increased physiological, metabolic and nutritional demand associated with pregnancy. This has been regarded as an important determinant of foetal growth. The study was undertaken to determine the food habit and dietary practices of adolescent pregnant women in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa-Ibom State. Data for this report was obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 385 adolescent pregnant women. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on personal, socio-economic characteristics and food habit. Data obtained from the study were subjected to statistical analysis, using statistical package for social sciences version 23. The results of the different variables collected revealed that many (43.9%) of them are within the age of 13-15years, 50.6% are single. Information on socio-economic showed that 14.8% attained tertiary education, 38.2% are traders and 38.4% had N10, 000 - N19,000 as their monthly income. Information on the food consumption pattern shows that little above half (59.7%) eats three times daily, 37.4% skips meal and meal skipped by many (14.0%) of them were breakfast. The favorite food of  29.6% of them were Garri and soup as 19.2% were fufu and soup. More of the respondents (67.8%) eat snacks as 11.7% do consumed chin-chin and   groundnut each respectively. The fruit consumed by many (38.4%) of them were mango. The  Dietary Diversity of Respondents According To Age revealed that some of the respondents (31.7%) had a dietary diversity score (DDS) of less than three food groups indicating a low dietary diversity, although those within the age of  10-12years  (41.2%) were more when compared to that of those within the age of 13-15years (23.5%) and 16-18years  (33.7%). The food frequency consumption of the respondents showed that garri, fufu, Abacha, yam and rice, being the major items consumed by respondents on daily basis. Most of the respondents (67.3%) consumed garri daily whereas very few (23%) consumed it weekly. However, 34.0% and 14.0% eats fufu and Abacha daily respectively.. Among the response of consumption vegetables, bitter leaf (27.5%), pumpkin leaf (52.2%), lettuce (11.9%), watermelon (59.0%), cabbage (16.9%), garden egg (10.4%), cucumber (11.9%), okro (39.2%) and tomatoes (45.2%) were the consumed daily as the same vegetable; bitter leaf (23.1%), pumpkin leaf (6.5%), lettuce (10.6%), watermelon (6.5%), cabbage (15.6%), garden egg (30.9%), cucumber (20.5%), okro (11.2%) and tomatoes (16.6%). The result showed that there was a strong positive significant relationship between the educational level of the adolescent pregnant mothers and meal skipping, educational level and meal skipped, educational level. However there was negative relationship between the educational level and consumption of fruit as well as educational level and fruit and vegetable consumed (P>0.05). There was no  relationship between any food habit and occupation of the respondents (P<0.05). There was strong positive relationship between monthly income and meal skipping, monthly income and meal skipped, monthly income and Consumption of fruits  (P>0.05).