Fast food consumption pattern and body weight status among students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

The study assessed fast food consumption pattern (FFCP) and body weight status among the undergraduates of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, living in different halls of residence on the university campus during the Rain semester of 2011/2012 session. The study employed survey research design to give an insight into the pattern of fast food consumption and its consequent risk of obesity among undergraduates. The campus has thirteen faculties which have their pivots in science, technology, arts and social science, and nine undergraduate halls of residence. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select 40 students from each hall of nine kinds. The sum total of respondents was 360.The specific objectives were to: investigate the body weight of undergraduates using Body Mass Index (BMI), determine the gender of undergraduates who indulge most in fast food consumption, and examine the influence of fast food consumption pattern on body weight of undergraduates in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. The study relied on primary data which was collected through personally administered questionnaires. The respondents’ weight and height were taken using a weighing scale and meter rule, respectively to determine the Body Mass Index (BMI) which was used to assess students’ body weight status among the respondents. Data collected were summarized and presented using means and percentages. The hypotheses were tested using t-test to determine the significant difference in the Fast Food Consumption Pattern (FFCP) between male and female undergraduates while correlation was employed to test the significant relationship between fast food consumption (FFC) and body weight status. The findings revealed that there was a significant difference (t = 7.14; df = 1; p<0.05) between the FFC of male and female undergraduates. The study further showed from the correlation coefficient analysis that there was a significant relationship between FFC and Obesity (r= 0.47, p<0.05). Based on the findings, the study recommended that the university commission should postulate a compulsory general elective course on physical health and nutrition education across board to give fitness to students and teach them nutrition information and knowledge.Key words: Overweight, Students, Obesity, Fast-food, Food consumption, Binge, BMI, Universit

Determinants of food choices of adolescents in south-western Nigeria

Food choices of adolescents have become increasingly unhealthy, putting them at increased risk of malnutrition, as they grow older. The study investigated the  determinants of food choices of adolescents in order to assess their nutritional knowledge and implication. World Health Organisation (WHO) describes children aged 10-19 years as adolescents. Four hundred and one adolescents who were in secondary schools were interviewed from six of the thirty local government areas of Osun State, which is a south-western state of Nigeria. Based on the population of secondary schools in the local government areas, thirty-two schools were sampled. Pre tested structured questionnaires using a set of high quality colour photographs of foods and drinks that would typically be offered to adolescents were used. The photographs, showing one item each, included foods such as biscuits, buns, meat pie that were classified as “snacks” and those, such as rice and beans garnished  with vegetable and either fish/meat stew, stewed beans, pounded yam that formed  part of a conventional meal. In the same manner, photographs showing a bottle of  coke, milk, chocolate drink and home made non-alcoholic drinks were presented. This was used to elicit information from the respondents. Descriptive statistical  techniques such as frequency counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation,  likewise inferential tools, such as, correlation analysis and analysis of variance  (ANOVA) were used in data analysis. The study showed positive and significant correlation between the preference and nutritional contents of foods (r = 0.514,  p<0.05) and drinks (r = 0.346, p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the  preference and perceived nutritional contents of the foods (F = 3.072), while there  was a difference in the choice and perceived nutritional contents of drinks (F =  0.217) among the urban and rural adolescents. It is concluded that, the food choice of the adolescents in the study area was based more on taste preference than the nutritional contents. The nutritional knowledge of the adolescents in the study area is high but the knowledge on home made non alcoholic drinks is low. Nutrition  education should be intensified especially on traditional foods and home made non-alcoholic drinks that are nutritious.Keywords: Adolescents, Food choices, Nutritional knowledge

Genome sequencing and analysis of Trichoderma (Hypocreaceae) isolates exhibiting antagonistic activity against the papaya dieback pathogen, Erwinia mallotivora

Erwinia mallotivora, the causal agent of papaya dieback disease, is a devastating pathogen that has caused a tremendous decrease in Malaysian papaya export and affected papaya crops in neighbouring countries. A few studies on bacterial species capable of suppressing E. mallotivora have been reported, but the availability of antagonistic fungi remains unknown. In this study, mycelial suspensions from five rhizospheric Trichoderma isolates of Malaysian origin were found to exhibit notable antagonisms against E. mallotivora during co-cultivation. We further characterised three isolates, Trichoderma koningiopsis UKM-M-UW RA5, UKM-M-UW RA6, and UKM-M-UW RA3a, that showed significant growth inhibition zones on plate-based inhibition assays. A study of the genomes of the three strains through a combination of Oxford nanopore and Illumina sequencing technologies highlighted potential secondary metabolite pathways that might underpin their antimicrobial properties. Based on these findings, the fungal isolates are proven to be useful as potential biological control agents against E. mallotivora, and the genomic data opens possibilities to further explore the underlying molecular mechanisms behind their antimicrobial activity, with potential synthetic biology applications

Determinants Of Food Choices Of Adolescents In South-Western Nigeria

Food choices of adolescents have become increasingly unhealthy, putting them at increased risk of malnutrition, as they grow older. The study investigated the determinants of food choices of adolescents in order to assess their nutritional knowledge and implication. World Health Organisation (WHO) describes children aged 10-19 years as adolescents. Four hundred and one adolescents who were in secondary schools were interviewed from six of the thirty local government areas of Osun State, which is a south-western state of Nigeria. Based on the population of secondary schools in the local government areas, thirty-two schools were sampled. Pre tested structured questionnaires using a set of high quality colour photographs of foods and drinks that would typically be offered to adolescents were used. The photographs, showing one item each, included foods such as biscuits, buns, meat pie that were classified as "snacks" and those, such as rice and beans garnished with vegetable and either fish/meat stew, stewed beans, pounded yam that formed part of a conventional meal. In the same manner, photographs showing a bottle of coke, milk, chocolate drink and home made non-alcoholic drinks were presented. This was used to elicit information from the respondents. Descriptive statistical techniques such as frequency counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation, likewise inferential tools, such as, correlation analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used in data analysis. The study showed positive and significant correlation between the preference and nutritional contents of foods (r = 0.514, p<0.05) and drinks (r = 0.346, p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the preference and perceived nutritional contents of the foods (F = 3.072), while there was a difference in the choice and perceived nutritional contents of drinks (F = 0.217) among the urban and rural adolescents. It is concluded that, the food choice of the adolescents in the study area was based more on taste preference than the nutritional contents. The nutritional knowledge of the adolescents in the study area is high but the knowledge on home made non alcoholic drinks is low. Nutrition education should be intensified especially on traditional foods and home made non-alcoholic drinks that are nutritious

Snacking as a Contributor to Overweight among Nigerian Undergraduate Students.

Objective: This study investigated the role of snacking as a contributor to overweight among undergraduate students. Subjects and Methods: Four hundred and eighty ndergraduates of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria were investigated using simple random cluster method from four popular snack outlets. Structured questionnaires were administered to elicit information on snacking habit. Anthropometric measurements of weight and height were obtained. Overweight was assessed and defined as Body Mass Index =25. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS software. Frequency counts, percentages, correlation and regression analyses were determined. Results: There were 178(37.2%) male and (302)62.8% female. Mean age of the undergraduate students was 22.7±3.16; highest among 20-25 years age range (