Nutritional status and nutrient adequacy of food consumed by non-academic staff in a Nigerian university

Background: Poor diet among workers accounts for 20 % of productivity loss as adequate nutrition is essential for optimum work productivity. Unfortunately, little attention is paid to the nutritional status to academics in Nigeria. Objective: This study assessed the nutritional status and nutrient adequacy of food consumed by non-academic staff in a Nigerian University. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study of 300 randomly selected non-academic staff of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Data were obtained on socio-demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, anthropometric parameters, and nutrient intake using pre-tested self-administered questionnaires, standard procedures, and repeated 24 – hour dietary recall. Categorical data were expressed as mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics such as Pearson Chi-square was used to determine the association between variables. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 42 ± 8.0 years with 56 % being female. The anthropometric results showed that 32 % and 20 % were overweight and obese respectively. Protein intake was inadequate among the female (32.7 %) and male (27.3 %) respondents. Vitamin A intake was (32.7 %) and (29.2 %) among the female respondents compared to male respondents with protein (27.3 %) and Vitamin A (27.3%). Male and female respondents’ mean intake of vitamin C was of 36.2 and 39.4 mg and was reduced compared to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). The food habits also revealed that several of the respondents practiced snacking (58 %), skipped meals (62 %), and did not consume fruits and vegetables (30 %). Conclusions: This study reveals that half of the respondents were overweight and obese.  Inadequate intake of vitamin C and protein was considerably elevated among the respondents in this study. There is, therefore, a need for institution-based health promotion education programs and further studies to assess the dietary diversity of the respondents.

Keywords

Malnutrition Nutritional status Micronutrients habit and food consumption
  • Gbenga Samuel Oladosu
    Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240, Abeokuta. Ogun state
  • Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240, Abeokuta, Ogun State
  • Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240, Abeokuta, Ogun State
  • Temitope Oluwatobi Akinpelu
    Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240, Abeokuta, Ogun State
  • Oluseye Olusegun Onabanjo
    Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Food Science and Human Ecology, Federal University of Agriculture, P.M.B 2240, Abeokuta, Ogun State

How to Cite

Nutritional status and nutrient adequacy of food consumed by non-academic staff in a Nigerian university. (2023). The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 7(16), 37-45. https://doi.org/10.51745/najfnr.7.16.37-45

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