ABSTRACT

This  research 'work assessed the consumption pattern of available food  resources by low income house hold in Abia State. A Validated and reliable questionnaire was administered to four hundred (400) households that were randomly Selected from four Local government Areas of Abia State- Uinuahia North, Isiukwuiato, Ikwuaiio and Beiicle. One huliUlrC(l (I 00) households WCFC SClCCtC(l ii'om each I uc;il Gou'criiiieit Area. Ihe data ('0llcCtC(1 were subjected to clescripl.ive statistics ising percentages. Ihe results revealed that the Illost iml)Ortant availal)le food FCSOEIFcCS and their ('oflSUifll)liofl pattci•n among low income h0USCh0l(1S wei•c cassava Yarn (8 1 •3%) , Cocoyam (7 1 .3%), African Yarn bean (67%), Beans (152.5%) an I Maize (62.15%). It witS Cvi(Ieflt that carl)ohydrate 100(1 were highly ('()flstllfle(l, predis)osing low income households to nutritional deliciencies. This negative lkod consuml)tlon pattern was found to l)e affected mostly l)y Itmi1y income (60%). Other factors were in the decreasing order of high cost of food > humily size > liniiIv occupation > culture an(1 educational level. It was therefore, recomnniciidcd that government should provide well-paid jobs to low-income households Nutrition e(lücation, including aj)propriatC methods of prc)aring available resources, should 1)c given to low-income households through the mass media. These will signilicantiv ilfll)FOVC (lie 100(1 conSuimnl)tion l)aterfls of available foods resourceS among lowii1COI1iC houisChol(IS.