Hawking among children is a common sight in most cities in Nigeria. The objective of this study was to determine possible health problems of children hawking in Uyo, southern Nigeria. This was a cross sectional study carried out among children selling along major traffic light intersections in Uyo metropolis. The instrument of data collection was a semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. A total of 225 hawkers participated in the study with a male: female ratio of 1.12:1 and a mean age of 13.27 (2.52) years. Most, 201 (89.3%) worked for 4-7 days weekly and 88 (39.1%) worked all day. Up to 54 (24.0%) spent 9-13 hours daily hawking. More than half, 135 (58.5%) of them perceived hawking as dangerous. Sixty nine (30.7%) had been involved in road traffic accident. Significantly more females 33 (31.1%) than males 10 (8.4%) reported ever experiencing sexual harassment or rape (p <0.001). Headaches, 46 (20.4%), general body pains, 40 (17.7%) and leg pains, 36 (16.0%) were the most frequently experienced health problems among the respondents. Other problems included fever, 24 (10.6%) and tiredness/weakness, 34 (15.1%). One case of pregnancy was reported. Awareness campaigns should be carried out in media outfits to discourage parents from exposing their children to such health problems.

Studies done in various states in Nigeria have shown alarming rates of food insecurity among the population. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of household food insecurity among different wealth groups in Uyo metropolis, in southern Nigeria and to determine compensatory feeding patterns engaged in by studied food insecure households. This was a cross sectional descriptive study carried out among 249 households of different wealth groups based on the occupational status and educational attainment of the household heads. Data was collected using interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 20 with a 0.05 level of significance. The prevalence of food insecurity among surveyed households was 89.9% with food insecure 26.5% (without hunger), 30.5% (moderate hunger) and 32.9% (severe hunger). Marital status, socioeconomic class, household size and household income all had statistically significant relationships with food security status (p<0.05). Those in socioeconomic class-1 were the most food secure (23.8%), while 63.6%, and 36.4% of households in socioeconomic class-5 were food insecure with moderate hunger and severe hunger respectively. Up to 36.4% of those with a household size of >7 suffered food insecurity with severe hunger. Regarding household income, 48.9% of households with income less than 50,000 naira per month, were food insecure with severe hunger (p<0.05). Coping strategies engaged in by food insecure households included borrowing money from friends, 33.7%, collecting food from friends 26.1% and sending children to work, 8.8%. There was high prevalence of food insecurity among studied households. It is recommended that better educational opportunities be made available to those of the low socioeconomic class, so as to ensure gainful employment. Minimum wage in Nigeria should be increased to ensure increased household income.