SUMMARY
In the study, Nutritional status of children was measured using Body Mass Index as a tool for measuring a matter of malnutrition in this age groups and this is similar to a research conducted in Jordan, by Hussein, Khaled & Nuhad (2013). Findings revealed that 66.1% of pupils were found to be underweight using the CDC categories for BMI. This study documented low Nutritional status based on the fact it was conducted in a rural/urban area but majority of schools visited were in the rural areas in conjunction with the study conducted by Senbanjo, Adeodu & Adejuyigbe in 2007. A survey carried out by the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life in Mauritius in the year 2009 revealed that the prevalence of underweight children is higher among primary school children. And this prevalence was as a result of the children not meeting their essential dietary needs for full body development due to the poor economic status of parents which in the study, majority (36.1%) of parents were traders and most of the parents were single parents (52.3%) who have children of range 6 and above (41.7%) all living in the same house, thereby making it difficult to provide necessary food Nutrients needed in a child. Results also indicated that across all age groups 64.5%, 66.7%, 62.1% and 57.1% of the pupils were underweight within the age ranges 6-7, 8-9,10-11 and 12 and above, respectively. In gender, findings showed that 61.8% and 70.3% of male and female pupils respectively were underweight. Though more female pupils were found to be underweight (70.3%) than male pupils (61.8%) and this was similar to a study carried out in Bangladesh on the Prevalence of Underweight and Effect of Nutritional Status on Academic Performance of Primary School Children, (2011). The feeding pattern of the pupils in this study is considered ‘fair’ due to lack of sufficient variety in their diet and a minimal protein intake which was consumed by an average percentage of the children studied within 24 hours of data collection, as it is required that a growing child take in energy giving foods in addition to protein in order to achieve their full growth potential. This result was in conjunction with a study on the Feeding Pattern and Health Challenges of Nigerian primary school children in southeastern urban center by Ndukwu C.I, (2014). It is important to note that diversification in diets is recommended for optimal protein quality and to derive full benefits of a high carbohydrate diet. The weight of a child reflects their dietary pattern or their energy intake. The meal mostly consumed by the pupils in the study included breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and majority of the pupils had 3 meals per day which is satisfactory for their ages. Nevertheless, the quality of the foods given during these meals may have an influence on the children's weight status. In this study, carbohydrates (rice, garri, bread and cereals) were most frequently consumed (68.9%) and snacks (biscuits and chin chin) and protein (beans, milk and yoghurt) were averagely consumed with 65% and 56.1% respectively, and the least consumed food with 35.5% was vitamins (Vegetables) and this is in line with the findings in a study conducted in South Western Nigeria, 2013 by Olumakaiye MF. Similar studies elsewhere have reported that children in most developing countries are living on poor household diet made of cereal or starchy root crops. The foods are rarely modified at the household level to increase nutrient density, and to meet the needs of their members, particularly children (Dewey and Brown, 2003). This may be as a result of the fact that generally, food made from grains are convenient foods and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Additionally, children have been noted to have a certain preference for these kind of meals (Marcela & David, 2017). The feeding pattern of the pupils of study has been found to be fair due to an average of the children being underweight with a record of stunting due to inadequate consumption of protein containing diets and in general, lack of balanced diet consumption, which is meant to contain a relative amount of all classes of food (carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, minerals, fats & oil and water). Majority of the children were found to fall under 5th percentile for stature for age and stature for height and there was no single case of Overweight and obesity, that is, the study showed that majority of children were found to be underweight which is less than 5th percentile for BMI and stunting which is less than 5th percentile for stature. And 13.3% of children were of normal weight.
