NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF THE LUNCHES OF CHILDREN IN DAY CARE IN OSUN STATE OF NIGERIA

ABSTRACT Food patterns and dietary quality in the early years of life are usually determined by parents and other primary caretakers. Unfortunately the diets commonly offered to young children are of low quality and often lack variety, which is the key to specific nutrient adequacy. They are usually of low energy and nutrient density and as a result, multiple nutrient deficiencies are common in this age group. This study investigated the nutritional quality of the lunches of children in day care in Osun State of Nigeria. A structured interview schedule was used to collect data from 180 mothers randomly selected from the study area. Mothers were interviewed about their children's eating habits, lunches and snacks packed for school. Descriptive statistics, such as percentages and frequency, were used to describe data. The results of the study revealed that 76% of the children ate breakfast before going to school. Almost all (91%) mothers gave their children lunch packs for school. The majority (72%) of the children went to school with additional mid-morning snacks, such as biscuits and pastries, and 12% took fruits. Few children (16%) did not take snacks to school. The socio-economic status of mothers was also considered and its effect on type of meal packed was examined. Results showed that 44.4% of the meals packed by mothers included carbohydrate-rich foods; 33.3% were partially balanced diets; and 22.3% packed a balanced meal for the children. Lower class mothers (15%) gave carbohydrate-rich food, while those of the middle class (21%) gave partially balanced diets. The percentage of mothers that packed balanced meals was not significantly different for the three socio-economic groups. It is recommended that mothers should have access to nutrition information about recommended dietary practices for children and should be educated on how to use the four food plan group in planning meals for children through nutrition education programmes

Perception of Disamenity Hazards on Residential Housing Values in Lagos, Nigeria

Landfill disamenities have been known to poison and threaten the natural environment with various degrees of contaminations and hazards ranging from air contamination to property diminutions. This current study identifies and evaluates the various environmental contaminants and hazards attributable to the four official landfills in Lagos State via perception. A total of 229, 2 341 and 315 structured questionnaires were administered to Estate Surveyors and Valuers, residents living within 1.2km distance from the four landfill sites and Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) workers respectively and on the avearge, 78 percent were retrieved. Data analysis showed that residents living within 1.2km distance the landfills identified the most outstanding hazards detrimental to the environment and human health as poisonous odour, truck traffic, stigma, noise pollution and threats of insects, pests and rodents. The study suggested closing down of all four operational landfills sited within residential areas and also a stern discouragement of illegal dumpsites. It recommended establishment of new landfills which should run on latest technology to avert pollution and also be sited in unhabited sites out of town. This as the study envisaged would reduce to barest minimum, landfill hazards and nuisance both to the environment and man

Influence of Valuations on Property Prices in Nigeria

Over the years, researchers in the UK, US, Australia and Nigeria have attempted to ascertain if valuations are good proxies for realized prices by means of statistical tests particularly standard deviations and regression analyses. However, Baum A., Crosby N., Gallimore, P., Gray, A., and McAllister, p., (2000)demonstrate that such comparisons of realized prices and prior valuations stand above the market, which is not the case in the UK market. This work aimed at determining if a casual relationship also does exist between prices and property values in Lagos State. A total of 135, 91, 25 questionnaires were distrbuted to valuation firms, property development/property investment portfolios and commercial banks respectively. data was measured by means of Linkert Scales and analysed using weighted average frequency distributions and the Kruskal-Wallis test on non-parametric data. It was discovered that values produced by valuation firms mimic those of in-house valuers of development companies/property investment portfolios and banks, both in method and figure. The valuations do not however stand above the market but have a casual influence on price. It was advised that in order to prevent crashes such as was experienced in the UK, valuation stakeholders continue to drive the valuer to greated levels of efficienc

Assessment of Loiasis and Outcomes of Ivermectin Masstreatment in Ijebu-North, Nigeria

A total of 286 individuals from 3 selected communities (Areedi-Aje, Ipakodo/Ojokodo, and Ijebu-Igbo) of Ijebu-North, southwestern Nigeria were examined for Loa loa microfilaremia using finger prick blood smear, between December 2008 and March 2009. Rapid assessment procedure for loiasis (RAPLOA) was used to obtain information, from 187 Ijebu-Igbo residents, on adverse reactions experienced from retrospective treatments with ivermectin and history of eye worm. Only 33.9% of the respondents reported having had a history of eye worm while 33.2% had microfilaremia. The demographic factor of gender was not significant determinants of the prevalence (P>0.05) while age was significant (P<0.05). The highest prevalence of eye worm history and microfilaremia were recorded in 61-70 and 15-20 years of age categories, respectively. Ijebu-Igbo had 27.3% eye worm history, 32.1% microfilaremia, and the highest intensity of 140 microfilariae (mf)/ml. Ipakodo area had the highest eye worm history of 54.4% and the highest intensity of 420 mf/ml. Areedi-Aje had the highest occurrence of 45.2% microfilaremia and the highest intensity of 460 mf/ml. Predictably, Areedi-Aje and Ipakodo areas were high risk communities. The low intensity of L. loa infection with an insignificant (2.1%; P>0.05) adverse reactions from 187 subjects involved in the retrospective ivermectin administration confirmed that ivermectin delivery may be considered safe. The community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) programme was most probably responsible for the low prevalence and intensity

Maternal Behavioural Feeding Practices and Under-Five Nutrition Implication for Child Development and Care

Abstract: Achieving development and improved levels of living with human resources is seriously handicapped by the biological consequences of malnutrition. This therefore underscores the pivotal importance of nutrition as an input to development. The study therefore investigated the breast-feeding, complementary feeding and attitude towards child feeding of 384 women with children between the ages of 0-24 months in Osun State. Analysis of data revealed that only 24% of the women practiced exclusive breast feeding and majority (48.8%) terminate breast feeding because they feel children were old enough at age 12 months. Children were fed only when they are hungry (49.9%) and 89.2% used feeding bottle for feeding. It was discovered that majority (81.3%) of the women have indifferent attitude towards the feeding of their children. Mothers with favourable attitude were only 20% and 3.5% had unfavourable attitude. Positive and significant association also existed between attitude of mothers towards child feeding practices and child&apos;s nutritional indicator weight-for-height (r= 0.328; p&lt;0.05). It is therefore recommended that mothers should be intimated with recommended feeding practices and be encouraged to adopt it to achieve optimal nutrition for under-five children as human is the principal agent of development