Assessment of the Relationship Between Dietary Patterns and Nutritional Status among Undergraduates of Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa

Abstract

This study assessed the relationship between the dietary patterns and nutritional status among undergraduates of Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa. Three (3) research questions were raised for the study. One (1) null hypothesis was formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised all undergraduates of Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa. The total population of undergraduates is 7,798. The sample size for the study was 236; this was achieved using 3% of the total population. Stratified random sampling technique was used in the random selection of respondents to ensure representation across Faculties and Departments thereby reducing sampling bias and increasing the generalizability of findings. A structured questionnaire titled “Assessment of Dietary Patterns and Nutritional Status of Undergraduates Questionnaire” was the research instrument used for the study in eliciting responses from the respondents. The research instrument was validated by the three (3) experts in the Department of Home Economics. Split-half reliability was used to compute the coefficient of the internal consistency of the research instrument and a value of 0.61 was obtained. Data collected were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and T-test. The findings of the study revealed that most of the undergraduates had Body Mass Index (BMI) values which fall within the normal range (18.5-24.5), suggesting an overall healthy nutritional status among the population. Only 1.3% of respondents were classified as obese, indicating a higher prevalence of normal weight among the undergraduate population. However, the presence of both undernutrition and overnutrition among a notable proportion of students reflects a double burden of malnutrition. Fruit consumption among the respondents was inconsistent, and a majority reported frequently replacing main meals with snacks, predominantly consisting of junk foods, which pose potential health risks due to their low nutritional value and high content of unhealthy additives. The major limitation that influenced the dietary patterns of undergraduates was found out to be lecture time.  The study concluded that female undergraduates exhibited better nutritional status compared to male counterparts; also, that the presence of undernutrition among undergraduates can be pointed to their inconsistent food consumption. It was recommended among others that undergraduates should shun junk foods, carbonated drinks or fast meals that have little or no nutritional values.