PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF POOR NUTRITION AMONG STUDENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

ABSTRACT

The study examined perceived influence of poor nutrition among students in the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State. The population of the study covered the forty-four thousand, one hundred and forty (44,140) undergraduate students in the University of Benin. The sample size of the study was made up of one hundred and fifty (150) undergraduate students purposively selected across faculties in the same institution. The study made use of descriptive survey research design. The researcher constructed a questionnaire that was used to obtain responses from the respondents. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained through test-retest procedure to be 0.89 coefficient using Pearson's Product moment correlation coefficient. Data collected were analyzed using the mean ratings and the regression technique. The results of the analysis revealed that students in the University of Benin perceive poor nutrition to be influencing their health, academic performance, and overall well-being to a large extent. Also, the perceived causes of poor nutrition among students include lack of awareness about healthy food choices, busy schedules and academic pressures, limited availability of nutritious food in school cafeterias or vending machines, lack of parental involvement in promoting healthy eating habits, stress and emotional factors, and the availability of fast food restaurants near schools. Finally, there exists a perceived high negative and significant relationship between students' poor nutrition and their academic performance in the University of Benin.