ABSTRACT
In a nutshell, food science is the scientific study of food from the period of harvesting, processing, storage and packaging. Human nutrition now is concerned with the utilization of this food in the human system. Because both cases are referring to food, it shows that both terms are inter-related. Actually, food science plays significant roles in human nutrition as it broadens our horizon on the foods we consume. Some of the roles of foods science in human nutrition includes: food processing as it as shown variable ways in which one food commodity can be processed into different forms; food fortification and enrichment in which nutrients that were not present or that were present but lost during processing are added to the food at even greater levels; and also food preservation and storage which show us how to keep our foods safe for future use
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
1.3 STUDY OBJECTIVES
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
1.5 STUDY QUESTIONS/HYPOTHESES
1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED AND RELEVANT LITERATURE
RELATED LITERATURES
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.2 STUDY AREA
3.3 SOURCES OF DATA
3.4 POPULATION OF THE STUDY
3.5 SAMPLE SIZE DETERMINATION
3.6 INSTRUMENTATION
3.7 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF INSTRUMENT
3.8 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENATATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 DATA PRESENTATION
4.2 DATA ANALYSIS
4.3 DATA INTERPRETATION
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 SUMMARY
5.2 CONCLUSION
5.3 RECOMMENDATION
REFERENCES
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
According to data from Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation surveys, at least 33% of Nigerian student are anaemic and that a large number of student are not able to enjoy their right to nutrition (MOPHS, 2012). Unacceptable levels of over- nutrition and under-nutrition in Nigeria, including chronic under nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are responsible for high rates of illnesses and deaths nationally (KNBS, 2010). From the 1999 Nigeria national micronutrient survey, nutritional deficiency was high with 43% of pre-school student and 42% of school going student suffering from nutritional deficiency. In a study by UNICEF and Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, the prevalence of nutritional deficiency among pre-school student in Nigeria stood at 73% and 56% among school-aged student (UNICEF, 2009; MOPHS, 2012). The regional distribution of nutritional deficiency among student in Central and Midwest Highlands of Nigeria was 8.6-89.5% (UNICEF, 2009). Many student are anaemic due to food insecurity and poverty. Minimal coverage of nutrition content and over emphasis on health education in primary school curriculum is another contributor of nutritional deficiency (Gunde, 2004). Overall, it is the most vulnerable, the poorest and the least educated that are disproportionately affected by nutritional deficiency (Jukes et al., 2007).
Schools provide a social context in which student learn and develop, thus making schools a desirable environment for Food Science promotion (Gunde, 2004). Pupils spend over three quarters of the year in the school environment and therefore are in constant contact with the teachers and peers who are their main models. School student are at an exploratory learning stage. This is an opportunity that can be taken advantage of to instil positive behaviour through classroom learning and hands on practical experiences. Habits and attitudes formed in early life are translated into the future adults’ lifestyles. It is therefore important that the school environment enable and reinforce healthful eating and healthy behaviours through behavioural focused classroom instruction (Hongo, 2004). The school student stand to gain the most through Food Science strategies that are developed (WHO, 2007).
Nutritional deficiency nutritional deficiency is frequently exacerbated by infectious diseases such as Malaria, HIV and AIDS and hookworm infestation. Other infections such as tuberculosis are also important factors contributing to the high prevalence of anemia in some areas (MOE, 2007; WHO, 2007; WHO, 2013). Another cause of IDA is dietary intake based mainly on grains that contain anti- nutrients such as phytates that bind nutritional, and therefore nutritional is not released in the gastrointestinal tract. The body absorbs only 5% of all the nutritional in plant food and the rest is excreted by the body (Andang’o et al., 2007). Student, who make up 50% of the total population, suffer varying but significant degrees of ill health, nutritional deficiencies and morbidity that unequivocally impede effective learning and realization of their full productive potential. The health consequences are devastating, invisibly eroding the development potential of individuals, societies and national economies.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In developing countries, student are often a neglected group in terms of micronutrient interventions. This is because they are not reached by the intervention strategies targeted at preschool student (Gunde, 2004). From Ministry of Education reports, school student face many health challenges such as, pneumonia, malaria, measles, micro- and macronutrient deficiencies. Since these young student frequently suffer one or several of these problems concurrently, health and nutritional programmes focusing on this age group are extremely valid. Nutritional deficiency renders student restless, in-attentive and uninterested in learning (MOE, 2007). Over 33% of student in Nigeria are already intellectually compromised by permanent brain damage caused by lack of the necessary micro-nutrients, short-term hunger and nutritional deficiency (Kigotho, 2009).
Although nutrition information and action are present in all relevant government sectors including agriculture, education, water and health, food science is not adequately prioritized. Consequently, resources dedicated to nutrition are limited, leading to low impact of nutrition interventions in schools. Generally, there is low understanding of linkage between national food security, basic education and water and sanitation strategies on one hand and nutrition on the other. Further, programme strategies are vertical in nature and lack nutrition as an outcome indicator. The food security and nutrition and school health policies and guidelines, recognize the importance of involving stakeholders in the reduction of malnutrition in school student ( MOPHS/ MOE, 2009; MOA, 2012).
Yobe is a coffee growing area with highly sub-divided parcels of land whereby very little land is left for food crop production. Coffee payments are also irregular and hence many farmers are not well endowed with the necessary food resources. Due to over cultivation, the soils have become very poor resulting in low yields. Increased population and fragmentation of farming land has been an issue to most households. Over dependence on erratic rains for agricultural production and low uptake of modern food production technologies has also worsened the situation resulting in poor crop harvests and therefore affecting food adequacy and diversity.This may compromise the nutritional status of the population. The poverty levels in Muranga County stood at 36.6% (MOA, 2009a).
According to Thika North LGA Health Services Annual Report (2008), a high burden of nutritional deficiency exists among student of all ages and is ranked number eleven among diseases causing morbidity (MOH, 2009). The health consequences are devastating, invisibly eroding the development potential of individuals, societies and national economies. This need not be so because solutions are available and known (WHO, 2007). The stakeholders who were supportive in the study were, the Ministry of health, Agriculture, Education, Provincial administration and a Non-governmental organisation (YARD). Nutritional deficiency nutritional deficiency can compromise school pupils learning capacity.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The objectives of the study are to:
- determine the extent to which food science has affected students nutritional status in Junior Secondary Schools in Yobe State;
- identify the problems associated with the implementation of the food sciences in Junior Secondary Schools in Yobe State; and
- make recommendations or strategies to improve the implementation of food sciences in Junior Secondary Schools in Yobe State.
1.4 Research Questions
The following are the guided research questions:
- To what extent to does food science has affected students nutritional status in Junior Secondary Schools in Yobe State?
- What are the problems associated with the implementation of the food sciences in Junior Secondary Schools in Yobe State?
- What recommendations can be made to improve the implementation of food sciences in Junior Secondary Schools in Yobe State?
1.5 Hypotheses
The following hypotheses are put forward to guide the study:
HO : there is no significant difference in the extent to which food science is has affected students nutritional status in Junior Secondary Schools in Yobe State;
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study will greatly benefit the curriculum planners and developers through finding the extent to which the food science is being implemented at Junior Secondary School levels and finally used as a guide for decision making on whether there is need to change, alter or innovate or improve upon the existing food science.
The study will be of great importance to the food science teachers of Junior Secondary Schools who are the key implementers of the curriculum by realizing their roles in ensuring the effective implementation of food science. It will also provide empirical information on the pedagogical methods used by teachers that are relevant to the teaching and learning of food science in Junior Secondary Schools.
Quality assurance officials which involve both internal and external (supervisors) will benefit greatly from this research work. The quality control officials who are responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of curriculum including that of food science will benefit from the data collected from the research. The findings of this work will therefore help them to improve on their assignment.
This research will also be beneficial to parents who are stake holders and joint partners responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of the food science. The need for parents to join their hands in ensuring the implementation of curriculum was clearly pointed out in the words of Offorma (1994), Nzewi, Okpara and Akudolu (1995), where they opined that implementation of curriculum is normally done in the classroom through the joint efforts of the teacher and the learners and those concerned. In this regard, those concerned is referred to as parents, school administrators, inspectors, supervisors and government itself etc. Thus, parents as a people that are highly concerned in ensuring the curriculum implementation will surely benefit from the findings of this research.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The scope of this research was limited to the assessment of the role of Food science in Junior Secondary Schools in Nguru Universal Basic Education Inspectorate Zone, Yobe State
