ABSTRACT

The study assessed the nutrition knowledge, breakfast consumption pattern and prevalence of obesity among undergraduate in school of nursing Amachara, Abia State. Two hundred and eighty-eight respondents were selected using simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to determine their socio demographic characteristic, socio-economic status and nutrition knowledge. Food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the breakfast and food consumption pattern. Nutritional status of students was assessed using standard procedure. The result showed that 40.4% of the respondents were within age range of 24-27. more than half (79.9%) of the respondents were single. Many (59.7%) ofthe respondents source of allowance was from parents and more than half (67.7%) ofthe respondents had family size of 4-6. The study showed that greater percentage (75.7%) ofthe respondents had good nutrition knowledge. More than half (79.9%) ofthe respondents ate breakfast today, less than half (44.8%) of the respondents eat breakfast based on availability. Little above half (50.7%) of the respondents ate breakfast two times a week. Nut and proteins were mostly consumed by students. Result showed that (68.1%), (54.5%), (73.3%), (51%), (69.4%), (61.8%), (78.1%) moderately consumed ultra processed food, carbohydrate/cereals, protein food, beverages, diary product, confectioneries and nut respectively while 78.5%, (66%) and (73%) lowly consumed meat and meat product, vegetables and fruits respectively. Result from the Body mass index ofthe respondents revealed that 86.8% were normal, 6.3% of the respondents were overweight while 6.9% were obese grade 1. Based on the findings, thus it was recommended that in schools and colleges seminars/ symposiums should be conducted to educate the students to have optimum nutrients in their daily meals