Nutritional Status of Urban Households: The Case of Adolescents in South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Adolescence is a unique, critical period of growth and development, therefore they require adequate nutrients.
Objective: This investigated the nutritional status of adolescents in urban households of South Eastern Nigeria.
Methods: The study adopted a cross-sectional design. Multi-staged sampling techniques were used to select 3 persons in 422  households (1266 participants) in 3 selected states in the South Eastern in a larger study of which and 244 adolescents participated from  the households. A semi-structured questionnaire containing demographic, socio-economics characteristics and anthropometric  measurements was used to elicit information. A total of ten per cent (10%) of the sample size was used to assess 3–day weighed food. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Result: Findings showed that there was a high prevalence of stunting, 12.3% and 27.9% were severely stunted and stunted respectively.  14.3% and 11.9% of the adolescents were wasted and overweight respectively. The majority of the adolescents did not meet the  recommended nutrient intake. Vitamin A deficiency was seen in 76.5% of adolescents, 64.7%, 88.2%, 82.4% and 58.8% were calcium,  iodine, Iron and zinc deficiency respectively. It also revealed that more than twenty in ten (25.4%) of the adolescents consume their meal twice per day and lunch was the most skipped meal (17.6%). Reasons for meal skipping was that food was not affordable by 66%. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of stunting and wasting among adolescents. The majority of them did not meet the  recommended nutrients.