INCIDENCE OF MALNUTRITION AMONG PUPILS IN LOWER UBE CLASSES IN SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN IBESIKPO ASUTAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

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CHAPTER ONE

1.0   Introduction

1.1   Background of the Study

For all living organisms, food, water and air are indispensable. The food we eat provides us energy, builds the body and promotes health.

Energy-giving food contain mostly carbohydrates and fats. They include yam, potatoes, bread, cassava and sugar cane. Body building food consists mainly of protein which is gotten from meat, fish, eggs, mils, cheese and vegetable.

Health-preserving foods are mainly those that contain vitamins from milk, cheese, eggs, fish, meat, butter, fruits and vegetables. Minerals can also be found in green vegetable, fruits and eggs. Vitamins vary from vitamin A, B, B2 (B complex) C, D, E, and vitamin K.

The mineral salt needed by the body include potassium, chloride, sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorous. All these substance are found in different kinds of food.

Food according to Brown (2000) is defined as a substance taken into and absorbed by an organism to sustain life and enabling growth and repair of tissue. It helps the maintenance of the body and respiration.

In Nigeria, number of people are unable to solve problems that borders on their health. Most of them are killed due to malnutrition. Most ill health are due to balanced diet. Illite and Sttlu (2002) suggested that education in Nigeria will definitely resolve the problem of malnutrition as many Nigerian would study to become medical doctors, nurses, biology lecturers and technologists. These professionals would be able to tackle the problems of health in the country.

Isong (2004) opined that malnutrition has great effects on human health. Cause diseases like diabetics, hypertension, poliomyelitis, cough, headache, infection, hypertitis and other parasitic infections like anorexia nonosa, obesity kwashiorkor and marasmus.

Taylor (2003) considered “balanced diet as the cheapest means of reducing diseases, and sickness in the society. World Health Organization Handbook (2002) defined good health as the condition of controlling all factors in man physical environment which may exercise harmful effects on man’s physical development and survival not merely the absence of infirmity. Stone (2003) opined that good nutrition has been described as the good health.

Malnutrition is literally under-nutrition or eating too little or too much (over nutrition). Under-nutrition does not kill directly but indirectly by lowering the resistance of the body to diseases.

Overnutrition can lead to premature death. It is responsible for disease such as coronary heat diseases and strokes.

Green (2003) also says that children who are under-nourished over an extended period of time have stunted growth, and are usually this. They  may develop marasmus.

Federal and State Government have not done enough towards improving poverty and health situation of the people in the state and this affects family nutrition.

In view of this, this work investigates the incidence of malnutrition among pupils in lower UBE classes.

1.2   Statement of Problem

Over the years, Biologists and educationists have been concerned with finding out ways through which pupils study most effectively.

In a school setting, healthy school environment may be seen as every thing that is done to provide at school, physical, emotional and sound condition which are of benefit to the health and safety of school’s children. Poor health situation is still observed due to poor feeding condition of the pupils.

It is widely noticed that most parents from poor home usually send their children to school without proper feeding. Some of the pupils eat once a day due to the poverty condition of the parents. This situation cannot enhance effective learning. Most of them eventually fall sick because of starvation and malnutrition. The examination of malnutrition situation in school forms the focus of this work.

1.3   Purpose of the Study

The study aims at:

1.      To investigate the incidence of malnutrition among pupil in primary schools in Ibesikpo Asutan L.G.A.

2.      To educate the pupils, teachers and parents on the importance of balanced diet.

3.      To asses the level of teachers understanding of malnutrition.

4.      To make proper recommendation towards solving the problems.

INCIDENCE OF MALNUTRITION AMONG PUPILS IN LOWER UBE CLASSES IN SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN IBESIKPO ASUTAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA