ABSTRACT

 The study was designed to determine the contribution of snacks to the energy and nutrient intake of undergraduates which was carried out in Federal Polytechnics Nekede in Umudibia Local Government Area Owerri, Imo State .To achieve the objectives of this study, a cross sectional survey was carried out using a total of three hundred and eighty one (381) respondents; (205 males and 176 females), using simple random sampling technique. Twenty  respondents were also selected for a detailed dietary  survey. A structured questionnaire was used to  determine their individual characteristics, food and snacking habits. Dietary intake data was assessed  from food  frequency consumption and 24 hour dietary recall. Almost all (82.7%) of the respondents skipped meals, breakfast (44.6%), lunch (29.7%) and dinner   (8.4%), lack of time (37.5%) was pointed out as the reason for skipping meals. Most (78.8%) of the respondents spent between N550-N850 on snacks in a week. The respondents favourite snacks and drinks include; meat-pie (19.7%), water melon (15.2%), biscuit (12.3%), fruit juice (23.1%) and cake (16.3%). The parentage of frequent (> 4 x week) consumption of unhealthy snacks (cakes, doughnut, biscuits) was higher than that of healthy snacks (okpa, fruit). The energy and nutrient intakes from snacks was done using weighed food intake, also Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization (FAO/WHO, 2000) recommended nutrient intake table was used to compare the values. Results on the contribution of snacks to the energy and nutrient intake revealed that snacks contributed significantly (71.6% for male and 92.5%) for female) to the energy intake of respondents, Carbohydrates (129.9% for male and 129.8% for female), fat (35.1% for male and 55.6% for female). Protein (24.1% for male and 56.4% for female) and other nutrients were below 50%, but healthy snacks such as fruits and vegetable have high vitamin C (129.1% for male and 105.7% for female) that keeps the body healthy. Nutrition education aimed at promoting consumption of healthy and nutritious   snacks to processed unhealthy food should be encouraged.        

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page i

Certification \ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgement iv

Table of contents vii

List of table ix

Abstract x

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 1

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 2

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 3

1.4 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY 4

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 BASICS ABOUT FOOD 5

2.2 NUTRIENTS IN FOOD 6

2.2.1 Carbohydrate 6

2.2.2 Protein 6

2.2.3 Fats 7

2.2.4 Vitamins 7

2.2.5 Minerals 8

2.3 BALANCE DIET 8

2.3.1 Choice of food 8

2.3.2 Factors that influence food choice 9

2.3.2.1 Weight concerned and body image 9

2.3.2.2 Food Preference and taste 9

2.3.2.3 Time/convenience and income 9

2.3.2.5   Advertisement 10

2.4 FOOD PYRAMID 10

2.4.1 Bread, cereals, rice and pasta 13

2.4.2 Vegetable group 13

2.4.3 Fruit group 14

2.4.4 Milk, yoghurt and cheese group 14

2.4.5 Meat, poultry, fish, egg and nut group 14

2.4.6 Fat, oils, and sweets (Townsend, 2009) 15

2.5 WHAT IS SNACKS? 16

2.5.1 Unhealthy snacks 16

2.5.2 Healthy snacks 16

2.5.3 Snacking behaviours 17

2.5.4 Motivation for snacking 18

2.5.5 Nutritional implications of snacking 18

2.5.6 Effect of snacks (Unhealthy foods) 19

2.6 HEART DISEASES 20

2.6.1 High Cholesterol 20

CHAPTER 3

MATERIALS AND METHOD

3.1 STUDY DESIGN 21

3.2 AREA OF THE STUDY 21

3.2 POPULATION OF THE STUDY 21

3.3 SAMPLING AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES 21

3.3.1  Sample size determination 21

3.3.2 Sampling Procedure 23

3.4 PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES 23

3.4.1 Training of Research Assistants 23

3.5 DATA COLLECTION 24

3.5.1 Questionnaires 24

3.5.2 Weighed food intake 24

3.6 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS 25

CHAPTER 4

4.1 SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF RESPONDENTS 26

4.2 FOOD CONSUMPTION PATTERN OF THE 

RESPONDENTS 29

4.3    SNACKING HABITS OF UNDERGRADUATES 32

4.4 CONTRIBUTION OF SNACKS TO THE ENERGY 

AND NUTRIENT 35

4.5 RESPONDENTS 24 HOURS DIETARY RECALL 38

CHAPTER 5

5.1 CONCLUSION 43

5.2 RECOMMENDATION 43

REFERENCES