ABSTRACT
Background: The health of an individual is the bedrock for all of life's activities. A balanced diet which includes carbohydrates; proteins (macronutrients); fruits; cereals; and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals (micronutrients); which are indispensable for the good condition of the skin and real beauty treatment from within. Hunger evokes restlessness; which is capable of affecting concentration thereby exerting an adverse effect on academic performance.Aim: To examine the food intake pattern of the public primary school pupils within Eleme Local Government Area.Methods: Seven schools were randomly selected. One hundred pupils from each of the schools were purposively selected as the participants of the study. A total of seven hundred male and female participants were selected for the study. A self- structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on their food intake. The data were analysed using simple statistics of frequency counts and percentages.Results: The study revealed that the nutritional pattern of the respondents centred on carbohydrate meals predominantly which is only one of the macronutrients. Two hundred out of a total of 700 respondents go to school without breakfast. A gross absence of micronutrients in their meals was observed.Conclusion: The study revealed that the nutritional pattern of the respondents was far from balanced or adequate. Based on the findings of the study; recommendations such as the creation of more awareness on the need to select food from the macro and micro nutrients groups to make up a balanced or adequate diet based on individual's socio- economic status among the pupils and the parents was made
Subject(s)
Child , Eating , Food , SchoolsABSTRACT
Background: Workers in the oil industry are exposed to different types of hazards capable of causing various forms of health problems. The hazards considered by the study were noise and carbon monoxide poisoning amongst other forms of hazards. The importance of occupational health can never be overemphasized since human capital is the most important amongst all the factors of production.Aim: The study aimed at appraising the occupational health practices of workers in the selected oil industry.Methods: Two hundred participants were used as sample for the study. Self-administered structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from the participants. Descriptive statistics of simple percentages and frequency counts were used in analyzing the data collected.Results: One hundred and sixty one (80.5) of the respondents agreed to the presence of noise pollution with damaging effects on the eardrum and carbon monoxide poisoning as occupational hazards in the company. One hundred and thirty five (67.5) also agreed that some workers in the industry have lost their hearing to the noise hazard inherent in their jobs. According to 56of the respondents safety gadgets such as earmuffs and plugs were not sufficiently provided by the company. Up to 80.5of the respondents also disagreed that workers were always making use of the safety gadgets provided.Conclusion: Findings revealed poor occupational health practices by the workers giving rise to victims of occupational hazards in the company. Safety gadgets were not sufficiently provided. Most employers in the developing countries are known not to be providing occupational health services for their workers while most workers do not also c o m p l y w i t h t h e s a f e t y s t a n d a r d s . Recommendations were made on the need to apply the tools of health education; supervision and monitoring to ensure service utilization by workers