ABSTRACT

This study was designed to determine the level of knowledge and attitude towards consumption of fruits and vegetables among undergraduates in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra state. A cross-sectional study was undertaken at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra state and involved 417 undergraduates who were selected using random sampling. By using a questionnaire, personal and sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents and their parents were recorded. Knowledge and attitude responses were also recorded. Fruits and vegetable frequency questionnaire was used to obtain information on the consumption offiruits and vegetables. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation and significance wasjudged at p<0.01 using the Statistical Package for Socials Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The results showed that 55.9% ofthe respondents were females while 44.1% ofthem were males. More than half (52.8%) of the respondents lived off-campus. A vast majority (93.8%) ofthe respondents were single whereas only few were married. Many (61.9%) of the respondents got their monthly allowance from their parents. A good number (55.4%) ofthe mothers and (60.9%) fathers ofthe respondents had tertiary education whereas very few (3.6%) of the mothers and (2.6%) of the fathers had no formal education. Some (45.3%) ofthe fathers ofthe respondents were civil servants while 28.5% ofthe mothers were civil servants. The nutrition knowledge profile ofthe respondents revealed that a vast majority (91.4%) ofthe respondents had nutrition education awareness. Some (47.7%) of the respondent had their source of awareness at their school. The result of Nutritional knowledge score revealed that majority (90.2%) ofthe respondents had good nutritional knowledge, while 8.9% had average nutritional knowledge and 1.0% had poor nutritional knowledge. Fruits and vegetables were sparingly consumed by the respondents. Few (25.9%) ofthe respondents had a positive attitude on the statement nIt is difficult to eat 5servings of fruits and vegetables everyday". Some (33.3%) of the respondents had a negative attitude on the statement "fruits and vegetables are expensive**. There was a positive and weak relationship between the nutritional knowledge ofthe respondents and the educational level of their fathers which was significant (p<0.01). Conclusively, the research confirmed that there was high nutritional knowledge among the undergraduates and positive attitudes towards the consumption offruits and vegetables; however, this high level of knowledge was not backed up by a good practice ofregular consumption offruits and vegetables among the undergraduates.