ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to assess the household food security, dietary habit and academic performance oi school age children in Ohafia Local Government Area Of Abia State, Cross sectional study was used The population ofthe study comprised of both male and female school age children (5-12 years) in Ohafia Local Government Area, Abia State. Multi-stage random sampling techniques was used in selecting the villages, schools and pupils. Data analysis by coding dietary habit, academic performance, household food security responses and assigning food security scale values. Food security was measured using Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). Academic performance was coded < 40% as poor, 40-49% average, 50-69% good and > 70 excellent. Statistical analysis was carried out using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) Version 20.0. Both descriptive and inferential statistics was used in the analysis of this study. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage was used to analyze data for personal, socioeconomic, household food security, dietary habit and academic performance. The association between household food security, dietary habit and academic performance was analyzed using chi square. The result revealed that there were more females (55.6%) than males (44.4%) among the pupils studied. Some (37.1%) of children interviewed were within the age range of 8 to 9 years while the lowest (31.3%) were within the age range of 5 to 7 years. Greater percentage (36%) of the father were self employed, similarly, higher percentage (30.2%) of mothers were self employed. Some (31.5%) of the children favorite food was rice, more than half (53.5%) did not skip meal, few (23.9%) skipped lunch. Few (1.1%) of the children had poor academic performance, 14.1% had average, 43.8% had good while 40.8% had an excellent performance. It was revealed that a significant relationship existed between the dietary habit and their academic performance.