CAUSES AND EFFECT OF POOR NUTRITION ON CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 15 YEARS: A CASE STUDY OF EGOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY Poor nutrition is a cause of deficiency disease in humans that are directly or indirectly caused by a lack of essential nutrients in the diet. Poor nutrition is as old as man’s existence on earth. Nutrition particular in protein and energy giving food which the world health organization (WHO) referred to as silent emergency is an accomplice in at least half of the 10.4 million children death each year. According to Awake (2003) poor nutrition covers a wide range of illness from under nourishment due to a lack of one or more nutrient such as vitamins and mineral deficiency to obesity and other diet related to chronic diseases. The world health organization (2003) reported that poor nutrition is not limited to children only. However, developed countries are not free from poor nutrition. All cells need nutrients to grow and work. Lack of vitamins, mineral calories and protein can weaken your immune system and make it less able to find and destroys germs. This means that people who are poorly nourished are more likely to develop infection. People who are malnourished either do not take in enough calories and nutrients, or the body can’t use the food it takes in. in that way, it can weaken the immune system. Poor nutrition can affect children performance in school and is consistently reported as one of the causes of most death in our country that is, in Nigeria. However, poor nutrition occurs as a result of deficiencies in all food nutrient that are being taken by us. This is both quality and quantity that lead to poor nutrition in man. If the food eaten by the person is very low in calorific value that may result to only a little energy supplied of the body or the immune system, this condition is also called marasmus.      

1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This project attempt to investigate the causes and effect of poor nutrition in children under the ages of 15 years using Egor Local Government Area as a case study. In recent times poor nutrition causes a variety of different health problems in both adults and children. The major problem is that, they normally affect the children because they are in a period of rapid growth that increases the demand for calories and proteins for similar reasons. Poor nutrition can result from failure to eat enough or failure to choose the right kinds of foods. It is in view of these problems that the researcher has chosen to write on this topic with a view of making recommendations on amounts to consume from each food groups to attain proper nutrition.    

1. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

1. To critically look into the causative factor that may be responsible for poor nutrition affecting children in Egor Local Government Area.
2. To gain an insight into the control of the problems affecting the children in Egor Local Government Area.
3. To find out the effect of poor nutrition in the children that are in Egor Local Government Area.
4. To find out the causes of low production of food affecting poor nutrition.    
   1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is based on the assumption that;

1. To create awareness of the effect of poor nutrition on children in Egor Local Government Area for better care for them.
2. To give some light on the control of the factors affecting growth and development of children in the Egor Local Government Area.
3. To examine poor nutrition, its causes and effect on the academic performance of pupils in Egor Local Government Area in Edo State.
4. To determine the effectiveness on how this problem of poor nutrition will be reduced.  
   1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Does the level of education of parents contribute to poor nutrition in children?
2. Is poverty a major causes of poor nutrition in children in Egor Local Government?
3. Is it true that poor nutrition lower intelligence by 10 to 15 IQ?
4. Does proper feeding of children play a significance role in developing children’s intelligence?
5. Is it true that poor nutrition leads to the death of children?
   1. SCOPE OF STUDY

This scope of study was carried out to the people in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. Pregnant women and nursing women and young children (pupil under the age of 15 year old)

1. DEFINITION OF TERMS

Balanced Diet: Balanced diet means choosing a wide variety of food and drinks from all the food groups. It also means eating certain things in moderation, namely Saturday fat, cholesterol, refined sugar, salt and alcohol. Balanced diet is also a diet that contains adequate amounts of all the necessary nutrients required for healthy growth.   Unbalanced Diet: Unbalanced diet is when you don’t get (at least) the minimum amounts of each food group every day. It is also a diet that has too much of some nutrients and not enough of others. WHO: It means World Health Organization  Poor Nutrition: Poor nutrition is a deficiency disease in human that are directly and indirectly caused by the lack of essential nutrient in the diet. Marasmus: Marasmus is a progressive wasting of the body, occurring mostly in young children and associated with insufficient intake or mal-absorption of food. It is also conditions that deal with talking of food that are low in calorific value. Calorific Value: Calorific value is the amount of heat produced by the complete combustion of a material or fuel. It is also the measure of hearty power and is dependent upon the composition of the gas.