ABSTRACT

This study was designed to assess food and nutrition security and anthropometric status of students in Abia State Polytechnic, Aba. Cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 428 students that participated in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on personal information, parents’ socio-economic status, food and nutrition security. Information on anthropometry was also determined using standard methods. 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 more than half (53.0%) of the students were within the ages of 24 -26 years and the family size of 4-6 person were 48.4%. Information on educational status of the parents showed that more than half (52.3% and 51.6%) of the fathers and mothers attained tertiary education. Information on food security showed that 34.3% of the students were severe food insecure as 19.6%, 29.0%, and 17.1% were food secure, mild food secured and moderate food secure, respectively. Anthropometric Status result showed that the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity were 0.9%, 28.5% and 6.5%, respectively. The waist hip ratio shows that 38.6% and 32.0% were at high risk and moderate risk of abdominal obesity. There was a significant association (p=0.04) between daily vegetable intake and body mass index of the students. No significant association was found between the food security status and anthropometric status of the students (p<0.05). In conclusion, policies and programs should be put in place to tackle the problems of food insecurity amongst the adolescents who are the future mothers. Also, both governmental and non-governmental organizations working in nutrition sensitive and nutrition specific program should perform their tasks in averting unacceptably high prevalence of food insecurity in households and among students.