ABSTRACT
Major
eating habit, widely acknowledged to be associated with such poor dietary
habits is meal skipping. Meal skipping has been widely documented among various
populations within the West African sub-region, particularly among inschool
adolescents and undergraduate students . The study examined meal skipping
pattern among secondary school students in Ikwuano Local Government Area. Abia
State. Two hundred and sixteen respondents were selected using simple random
sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was also used to determine their
socio-economic status and dietary pattern. Body Mass Index status of
respondents were calculated using weight and height measures. Results showed
that majority (74.1%) of the respondents were females. More than half (58.8%)
of the respondents were aged 14-16 years while 10.2% were aged 10-13 years.
Less than fifty percent (47.2%) were in family of between 4-6 persons while
17.6% were in a family of 1-3 persons. Approximately 53% of the fathers were
farmers while 1.4% were missionaries. Less than half (43.1%) of the
respondents’ mothers were traders while only 1.4% were missionaries.
Approximately (56%) ofthe respondents are satisfied with their eating habits.
The study showed that (39.4%) of the respondents occasionally skip meals. The
study revealed that more than half (62.5%) of the respondents skip breakfast
while few (4.6%) skip dinner. The results showed that 17.6% skipped breakfast
because they were too late to school. Based on the nutritional status of
respondents majority (75.5%) of the respondents had normal height-for-age,
(20.8%) mild stunting while few (3.7%) were moderately stunted. The result for
BMI-for-age showed that approximately 75% of the respondents were normal,
(14.4%) were overweight while 10.2% of them were moderately thin. The study
showed that (5.9%) of the respondents that skipped breakfast on daily basis
were moderately stunted compared to those that skipped breakfast occasionally
(5.3%).Whereas none ofthe respondents that never skipped breakfast had mild
stunting, those who skipped breakfast either daily (21.6%), 2 times per week
(21.1%), 3 times per week (22.7%) and occasionally (19.7%) all manifested
different degrees of mild stunting. Meals skipping among secondary school
students has become a general phenomenon due to unavailability offood and no
time to cook.
AZUNNA, A (2024). Meal Skipping Pattern Among Secondary School Students In Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State:- Azunna, Blessing I. Mouau.afribary.org: Retrieved Dec 23, 2024, from https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/meal-skipping-pattern-among-secondary-school-students-in-ikwuano-local-government-area-abia-state-azunna-blessing-i-7-2
AZUNNA, AZUNNA. "Meal Skipping Pattern Among Secondary School Students In Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State:- Azunna, Blessing I" Mouau.afribary.org. Mouau.afribary.org, 10 Oct. 2024, https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/meal-skipping-pattern-among-secondary-school-students-in-ikwuano-local-government-area-abia-state-azunna-blessing-i-7-2. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
AZUNNA, AZUNNA. "Meal Skipping Pattern Among Secondary School Students In Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State:- Azunna, Blessing I". Mouau.afribary.org, Mouau.afribary.org, 10 Oct. 2024. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. < https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/meal-skipping-pattern-among-secondary-school-students-in-ikwuano-local-government-area-abia-state-azunna-blessing-i-7-2 >.
AZUNNA, AZUNNA. "Meal Skipping Pattern Among Secondary School Students In Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State:- Azunna, Blessing I" Mouau.afribary.org (2024). Accessed 23 Dec. 2024. https://repository.mouau.edu.ng/work/view/meal-skipping-pattern-among-secondary-school-students-in-ikwuano-local-government-area-abia-state-azunna-blessing-i-7-2