ABSTRACT
Objectives: This study was conducted with the aim of assessing the dietary pattern and nutrient intake of in-school adolescents in Bwari Area Council, Abuja-Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 133 in-school adolescents aged 13-19 years was carried out using FAOs dietary diversity questionnaire and 24hours multiple pass recall questionnaire. Data about diet and anthropometric characteristics was gathered. Dietary diversity score (DDS), dietary intake and anthropometric of males and females subjects were obtained. Results: The mean age of subjects was 15.7±1.5 with 35(26.3) males and 98(73.7) females. DDS indicates that 90.2% of subjects consumed cereals which were the highest intake while 35.3% of the subject consumed organ meat which was the lowest intake. Iron rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, flesh meat, fish had 68.4%, 81.2% and 77.4% respectively. Among the subjects, 93.8%, 24.5% and 16.3% met their requirements for carbohydrate, protein and calories while 24.5%, 12.2% and 2.04% met their iron, zinc and vitamin A requirements. Anthropometric result indicates that 14.3% were overweight among male subjects while 3%, 12.2% and 3.1% of female subject were thin, overweight and obese respectively. Conclusions: Dietary pattern of subject was tailored more towards carbohydrate. Subject had adequate carbohydrate intake which may be responsible for the low prevalence of overweight among subject. The observed intake of iron, zinc and vitamin A showed that a majority of the population are not meeting their dietary requirements.