ABSTRACT

This study assessed the knowledge and consumption patterns of NOV A foods among students at Modem Ideal College, Enugu. A cross-sectional study design was employed, with a sample size of278 students selected from two campuses within the same study area. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire and analyzed using IBM Statistical package of service solution software (SPSS) version 23.0. The result of the analysis was presented in frequency, percentage and Pearson correlation coefficient. The results revealed that there was a greater percentage of females (57.2%) than males (42.8%), having that 65.5% of the students who lived with their parents while (20.1%) were boarders. This had that the age I 4 was the highest (30.2%) while age 9 had the least (0.7%) in proportion. The findings revealed that more than half of the students were knowledgeable about NOVA foods. In tenns of consumption patterns, 27.3% consumed fruits and vegetables once a day, 29. I% consumed cereals, legumes, and nuts daily, and 31 .7% consumed starchy roots and tubers daily. Meat, fish, and poultry were consumed occasionally by 24.8% of students, while 29.9% ate eggs, chicken, duck, or guinea fowl once a day. On milk intake 34.2% took it once a day, a few (25.5%) consumed herbs and spices once a day. Some (32. 7%) consumed other dried and mixed fruits once a day, few (27.7%) consumed vegetable crushed from seeds, nuts or fruit once a day. Some (30.9%) consumed canned or bottled processed peas, sweet com, salad and sugared ground nut occasionally. Some (30.6%) consumed carbonated soft drinks occasionally. The relationship between personal infonnation of the students, socio-economic status of their parents and knowledge of NOVA foods revealed that personal information and socio- economic status has negative association (p<0.05) with knowledge of NOV A foods of the students while the relationship between NOV A foods and consumption pattern of the students had a significant results on other dried fruits with (r =0. 167), p= 0.005 showing significance at 0.01. Based on the findings of this study, it shows that the students demonstrated solid understanding of food processing and NOV A food classifications, this knowledge had a Jimitcd influence on certain food choices.