Nutritional and health status of preschool children from local women entrepreneurial households in Ohaji Local Government Area

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating the effect of women entrepreneurship skills on the nutritional and health status of preschool children in three nursery and primary schools in Ohahji Egbema LGA. A total of 197 preschool children aged 2-5 years was selected from three nursery and primary schools in Ohaji Local Government Area. The results showed that preschool children whose mothers were involved in business ventures had higher but significant anthropometric indices than those whose mother were not involved in any business ventures (p<0.05) both in the groups and between sexes. Similar results were obtained between sexes for energy and protein intakes of the preschoolers. There were significant associations between mother’s business ventures and anthropometric indices, energy and protein intakes as well as health status of the preschool children (p<0.05). There were similar observations in health care and treatment measures of the preschool children. Women entrepreneurship skills improve the income of mothers which in turn enhances the nutrition and health status of preschool children. Government should establish more entrepreneur skill training centres at Local Government Areas as this would assist women to improve their skills.