Dietary patterns of school children at Navrongo Senior High School

Abstract

The adolescent is considered especially vulnerable nutritionally because there is an increased demand for nutrients related to the dramatic increase in physical growth, psychosocial and cognitive development. What students eat is predetermined largely by peer influence, school environment including what is available to them in the school premises or what is provided by the school canteen. To this effect the study aimed at assessing the impact of dietary patterns on the nutritional status of school children at Navrongo Senior High School. The study employed quantitative research technique. A total of 95 respondents were selected randomly to prevent bias. In this study, data was collected using questionnaire. The data was analyzed using SPSS 20.0. The study found that 80.0% of the students frequently take breakfast, lunch, supper, meat and fish, whiles 62.1% rarely consume fast food with egg and 56.8% occasionally consume snacks, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Majority, 82.3% of the respondents indicated that health concern, food availability, environmental consideration, cost of food, individual energy and nutrients needs, and advertising and other point of sale information are the factors that influence food choice and habits of Navrongo Senior High School. The study further revealed that making healthful food more available and convenient, and limiting the availability of unhealthful food options help students eat more healthful diet as the mean score exceed the mean score of 3.5. Based on this conclusion were made that SHS students frequently take breakfast, lunch, supper, meat and fish, whiles they rarely consume fast food with egg and they occasionally consume snacks, fruits, vegetables and legumes. The study recommended that stakeholders including parents, teachers and even the students should be educated on the need for good nutrition and also encouraged to vary their diets. Nutrition and health education programs should also be carried out periodically in the various schools and this should be in cooperated into the educational curricula in the long round.