GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT

This study was to assess the food and nutritional intake as a correlate of preschoolers’ health status in Rivers State. The study adopted an Ex-post facto research design. The study was undertaken in River State. The population of the study consisted of the all experts in home economics in River State. Simple random sampling technique was used to select three senatorial districts in River State. From each of the district 60 home economics were randomly selected, giving the total of 180 respondents that comprised the sample size for the study. The main instrument titled “Food and Nutritional Intake Questionnaire (FNIQ)”. was used for data collection. Face and content validation of the instrument was carried out by an expert to ensure that the instrument was recorded accuracy while Cronbach Alpha technique was used to determine the level of the reliability of the instrument. Interestingly, the reliability coefficient obtained was 0.86 which was high enough to justify the use of the instrument. The researcher subjected the data generated for this study to appropriate statistical techniques such as percentage analysis and simple regression. The test for significance was done at 0.05 alpha level. The study concluded that food and nutritional intake have been a basic part of health status. The nutritional intake of food can be determined by knowing the food composition. Nutritional intake of food ensures growth in preschoolers and maintains good health through recovery from illness. However, nutrients are components of foods needed by the body in adequate amounts for proper growth, reproduction, and leading a normal life for preschoolers in Rivers State. One of the recommendations made was that parents should ensure sufficient nutritional intake for preschoolers to promote their health status.

KEYWORDS: Food, Nutritional Intake, Preschoolers, Health Status, and Rivers State