ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FRUIT CONSUMPTION, NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE AND SOURCES OF NUTRITION INFORMATION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN EKITI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Daily fruit consumption could help prevent micronutrient deficiency and certain non-communicable diseases. This study assessed fruit consumption, nutrition knowledge and, sources of food and nutrition information among university students in Ado-Ekiti. This cross sectional study involved multistage sampling of 300 students of a private university in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. Pretested questionnaire was used to elicit personal data and sources of food and nutrition information. Information on fruit consumption was obtained through food frequency questionnaire. Participants’ knowledge on fruits was evaluated based on 20 questions with each carrying a weight of five, making a total of 100%. This was categorized into good (≥ 70%), average (50-69%) and poor (<50%) knowledge. Chi square test was used to establish relationship among variables at 5% level of significance. Majority (62.3%) of the students were ≥ 20years; 64.0% consumed fruits less than four times in a week. A little above half (58.0%) had good knowledge of nutritional importance of fruit. The prominent sources of food and nutrition information among the respondents were social media (87.0%), internet (85.7%), relatives and friends (83.3%). The knowledge score had no significant relationship with fruit consumption frequency (p=0.083). The nutrition information sources that had significant relationship with fruit consumption frequency were television (p=0.003), magazine (p=0.015), poster/bill board (p=0.018), relatives/friends (p=0.045), neighbours (p=0.036) and seminar (p=0.000). There was inadequate fruit consumption among the students though they had good knowledge. Relatives/friends and television among other sources of information can be explored to reach the students with specific information on fruit consumption as a nutrition education intervention.