Nutrition Knowledge, Feeding Habits And Anthropometric Status Of Adolescents (10-19 Years) In Umuahia North L.G.A, Abia State

ABSTRACT

This study determined the n Ut riti on knowledge, feeding habits and anthropometric status

of adolescents in lJmuahia North Local Government, Abia state. Two hundred and

seventy-seven (277) adolescents were studied in a cross-sectional study design.

Questionnaire was used to assess the socio-demographic characteristics, feeding habits,

nutrition knowledge, a locally constructed standiometer and a calibrated scale was used

to take their anthropornetric measurement of the adolescents. Statistical Package for

Social Science (SPSS) version 20 and WHO Anthro version 3.2 was used for data

analysis. Majority 62.5 % ol the respondents were females while 37.5% were males.

About 23% of the adolescents were within the age range of 10-12 years, 65% were within

the age of 13-15 years and 10.8% were within the age of 16-19 years. About 58.5% of the

adolescent's skiped meal and a good number of them took snacks 92.4%, 73.6% had a

fair feeding habit grade and 10.1 % had poor feeding habit grade. Majority of the male

71.2% had a normal body mass index for age (BMI-for-age) and 15.4% were overweight

while the females 68.2% had normal body mass index for age (BMI-for-age) and 17.3%

were overweight. 'Flie nutrition knowledge grade of the adolescents shows that 43.0% had

a good nutrition knowledge, 28.5% had poor nutrition knowledge while 5.1% has

excellent nutrition knowledge. The findings in this survey showed the adolescents in

Umuhia North Local Government Area have a good nutritional status but have unhealthy

!èeding habits which is usual skipping of meals.