CAUSES AND EFFECT OF POOR NUTRITION ON CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 15 YEARS: A CASE STUDY OF EGOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

In this study attempt has been made highlighting the effect of poor nutrition affecting children under the age of 15 years in Egor LGA of Edo State. One hundred respondents (pupils) were randomly selected from six primary schools which served as sample of population of study, the questionnaires served as instrument for data collection and the simple percentage types were used to analyze data and text hypothesis, the analysis revealed that parents should feed there children very well with the right proportion of food, they should eat balanced diet and production of food should be increase in other to reduce the number of poor nutrition on children. Government should assist parents in feed of growing and helping to reduce the cost of food stuff in other for the poor parents to feed their children very well, before marriage couples should check their genotype in other to prevent sickle cell which will lead to kwashiorkor, teachers should also educate pupils on how to take balance diet sometimes, parents should not allowed the environment which they belong to or the kind of religion which they belong to dictate the choice of food they eat in other to reduce poor nutrition.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE   

Background of the study

Statement of the problem

Purpose of the study

Significance of the study

Research hypothesis

Scope and delimitation

Definition of terms

CHAPTER TWO   

Literature review

CHAPTER THREE

Methodology

Population

Instrumentation for data collection

Validity of instrument

Method of data collection

Statistical techniques

CHAPTER FOUR 

Data analysis, interpretation and findings

Discussion

Summary

CHAPTER FIVE   

Recommendation

Conclusion

Recommendations

REFERENCES     

QUESTIONNAIR

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF STUDY

          Poor nutrition is as old as man exist on earth, nutrition particular in protein and energy growing food which the world health organization (WHO) called “silent emergency” is an accomplice in at least half of the 10.4 million children death each year. Awake (2003), poor nutrition covers a wide range of illness from undernourishment due to a lack of one or more nutrient such as vitamins and mineral deficiency to obesity and other diet related chronic diseases. WHO (2003) reported that poor nutrition is not limited to children only; however, developed countries are not free from, poor nutrition. In Nigeria poor nutrition is the common cause of children low performance in school and is consistently reported as one of the second leading to causes of death in this country. However, poor nutrition occurs as a result of deficiencies in all the essential food nutrient in correct proportion. This is both quality and quantity this lead to poor if the food eaten by the person is very low in calorific value and as result only little energy is supplied, this condition is also called marasmus.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

          This project attempt to investigate the causes and effect of poor nutrition in children under the age of 15 years a case study of Egor local government area. In recent times, poor nutrition is one of the ancient diseases. The main problem of this is continuous ignorance of the level of food production which otherwise leads to talking of unbalanced diet, especially young children are normally effected with poor nutrition. The major problem is that they normally affected children because they are in a period of rapid growth that increases the demand for calories and protein for similar reason. It is in view of this problem that the researcher has chosen to write on this topic the researcher has chosen to write on this topic with a view of making positive recommendation on the prevention and culrative measures.

PURPOSE OF STUDY

          The purpose of this study is:

1.            To work critically in to the causative factor that may be responsible for poor nutrition affecting Egor LGA.

2.            To gain an insight into the control of the problem affecting the children.

3.            To find out the effect of poor nutrition.

4.            To find out the caused of low production of food affecting poor nutrition.

SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY  

          This study is base on the assumption that:

1.            The create awareness of the effect of poor nutrition effecting the children in the local government area for better care of them.

2.            To give some light on the control of the factors affecting growth and development of children in the local government area.

3.            To objectively examine poor nutrition its causes and effect on the academic performance of pupils in Egor LGA in Edo State.

4.            To determine the effectiveness on how this problem of poor nutrition will be reduced.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS    

          The following are alternate researchable point states below will be tested for the interest of this project.

1.            Government insensitivity assisting poor parents in feeding and educating of growing children’s play no important role in the development of the country.

2.            Low level off food production plays no important role in the effect and cause of poor nutrition.

3.            Feeding of children plays no significance role in intelligent of growing children.

4.            Social economy factors has no relevance in poor nutrition of children and pregnant women.

SCOPE OF STUDY  

          This study was carried out to the people in Egor LGA of Edo State. Pregnant women and nursing women. Young children (pupils under the age of 15 years old)

DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS

Balance diet: It is the diet that contains the six class of food taken in a right proportion.

Unbalance diet: It is the diet that those not contains the six classes of food.

WHO: World Health Organization

Poor Nutrition: The deficiency intake of food nutrient by the body.

Marasmus: A condition result fro taking food that is very low in calorific value.

Calorific Value: Nutrient value.