ABSTRACT

This study investigated the nutrition knowledge and food consumption pattern in Einihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. Sample of eighty families from t\vo communities was randomly selected. The instrument used for data collection wos a structured questionnaire. Percentage, frequency counts and means was used for data soalysis. The findings indicated that nutrition knowledge has an effect on family ood consumption pattern with a mean score of 27.3; sources of nutrition knowledge had a mean score of 2.66. Nutrition knowledge of families had a mean score of 2.68 while food consumed by families was 2.69. It was also discovered that families obtain their notrition information from different sources such as the mass media, nutritionists, and health experts with a mean score of 2.66. The Study also revealed that families dc not consume legumes and milk and milk products but consume processed food with mean score of 2.74. The findings also discovered that families have little knowledge of nutrition.There is the need to bring nutrition education to the doorstep of famlies. Messages given about foods through Mass medias should not be misleading. Moreover, the government should establish a nutrition education program for all cithens and various institutions from a very effective platform for the spread of basic nutritional k a ow!edg e.