Feeding Habit and the Health of Undergraduate Students: Evidence from Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between feeding habit and the health of undergraduate students and to also ascertain the level of awareness of students on the nutritional value of food consumed followed by what necessitate their choice of food and how it affect their health. A stratified and simple random sampling method was adopted. Five research questions were raised in the study. Data was collected using a well-structured questionnaire (distributed to 220 students of Landmark University Kwara State, Nigeria out of which 200 were returned for analysis) along with an in-depth interview. The research design was descriptive survey. The theories used for this research are the rational choice theory and social learning theory. The major finding of the research shows there was a significant relationship between feeding habit and the health of students. There was no relationship between the cost of food and the feeding habit of students. The result revealed that (86.5%) of students’ choice of food was based on availability. The effect of feeding habit on the health of students indicated lack of retention (49.5%) while illnesses such as stomach pain, stooling, ulcer and food poisoning were the common reported cases. In conclusion, it was recommended that students should consume food based on its nutritional benefits and not just based on availability. Also the Nigeria government should drive the goal of agrarian revolution in order to meet the food need of the country at a cheaper rate.

Roman Catholicism and fertility among the Mbaise, Southeast, Nigeria

“…Unfortunately, many couples particularly in rural communities are illiterates and lack the necessary knowledge to adapt to contemporary family planning methods. This is coupled with the prevailing high poverty rate which places more priority on the need to provide basic food and adequate nutrition for the family ( Arisukwu, Dolapo, Asaleye, Asamu, 2019 ).…”

Community participation in crime prevention and control in rural Nigeria

“…The government must drive youth interest and support them with soft loans to take agriculture as a means of earning money. This youth empowerment and support programs by government will promote active youth participation in economic activities and reflect on the feeding habits and health of the rural population ( Arisukwu et al., 2019 ; Asaleye et al., 2018 ).…”

“…There is a profound lack of police presence in the rural areas than the urban centers ( Lindström, 2015 ). Youth unemployment, poverty, hunger, poor health and living conditions and ethno-religious challenges are responsible for violence and disenchantment within the rural areas ( Arisukwu, 2017 ; Arisukwu et al, 2019 , 2020 ; Asaju et al, 2014 ). According to National Bureau of Statistics, (2017a , b ), “the labour statistics report of Nigeria in 4 th quarter 2017 has shown that there is 7.9 million Nigerian youths aged 15–34 that are currently unemployed”.…”

“…These youths are vulnerable and lack the capacity and skills to sustainably engage in or finance any entrepreneurial venture ( Asaleye et al, 2018 ). Also, poverty and lack of education is equally implicated in high rate of unintended pregnancies among teenage girls in rural Nigeria ( Arisukwu et al, 2019 ). This unplanned population in the hands of families that cannot provide their basic needs will exacerbate the crime situation in the community.…”

The Effectiveness of Group Counseling Based on Islamic Value to Reduce The Late Behaviour of Students

“…The factors causing the habit of students being late for school include waking up late, no one delivering, deliberately arriving late to school, delaying going to school and waiting for friends, the distance from the schoolhouse that is far away from a leaky motorbike tire. A study said the factors themselves have an important influence in causing the habit of being late for school, including waking up late due to unhealthy body conditions and the desire to leave late for school (Arisukwu et al, 2019). Supported by research which states that students' delay in school is caused by several factors, namely factors that come from themselves (for example, lazy to wake up early, deliberately delaying going to school), family and environmental factors (Das-Friebel et al, 2020).…”