An Investigation on Fruits Consumption among Children Under 5 Years: Evidence from Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, Ghana

Author(s)

Nana Ama Boansi Boakye , Irene Darkwa , Mary McArthur-Floyd ,

Download Full PDF Pages: 19-29 | Views: 870 | Downloads: 201 | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3441728

Volume 5 - May 2016 (05)

Abstract

Nutritionist and other health professionals have long recognized the importance of establishing healthful nutrition practices during childhood and early adolescence. Diet and exercise pattern adopted during these development years set the stage for lifelong habit that can mean the difference between vitality and infirmity in later years. This purpose of the study was to assess the consumption of fruits among children in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem municipality of Ghana. The study adopted a descripto-explanatory study design covering a stratified sample of 85 drawn from 165 parents/wards of children under five (5) years in the Takwa-Nsuaem Municipality, Ghana. A self–administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The data was analyzed through descriptive statistics. The study achieved a response rate of 83.75%. From the findings, most of the respondents had knowledge on the health benefits of fruits and more than half of the respondents served fruits to their children in the form of cut, whole, juice and blended or mashed

Keywords

Children under 5 years, fruit consumption, health, malnutrition, nutrition, stratified sampling

References

  1. Baranowski, K., Davis, M., T. Resnicow, J. Baranowski, C. Doyle, M. Smith, D.T. Wang, A.Yaroch, and Hebert, D. (2000). “Gimme 5 Fruit and Vegetables for Fun and Health:          Process Evaluation.” Health Education & Behavior 27(1): 167–176.
  2. Boeing H., Bechthold A., Bub A., Ellinger S., Haller D., Kroke A., Leschik-Bonnet E., Müller M    J., Oberritter H., Schulze M., Stehle P., Watzl B. (2012). Critical review: vegetables and          fruit in the prevention of chronic diseases. Eur J Nutr. 51(6):637-63.

        iii. Cooke J. L., Wardle J., Gibson E. L., Sapochnik, M., Sheiham, A., Lawson, M. (2004). Demographic, familial and trait predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption by pre-school children. Public Health Nutrition, 7, 295-302.

  1. Cooke L., Carnell S., Wardle J. (2006). Food neophobia and mealtime food consumption in 4–5 year old children. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 3,      14, doi:10.1186/1479-5868-3-14.
  2. Cooper, A. J., Sharp, S. J., Lentjes, M. A. H., Luben, R. N., Khaw, K. T.,  Warehamm N. J. &  Foruhi, N. G.   (2012). A Prospective Study of the Association Between Quantity and Variety of Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Incident Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care. Published  online before print. April 3, 2012, DOI: 10.2337/dc 11-2388
  3. Darmon, N. & Drewnowski, A.  (2008). “Does Social Class Predict Diet Quality?” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 87(5): 1107–1117.
  4. Dibsdall, L. A., Lambert, N.  Bobbin, R. F., Frewer, L .J.  (2003). “Low-Income Consumers’ Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Access, Availability and Motivation to Eat Fruit and          Vegetables.” Public Health Nutrition 6(2): 159–168.
  5. Eden, L. (2005). Social determinants of food choices. Proceeding of nutrition society. Norway.
  6. Elmadfu, I. (2009). European nutrition and health report. Forum nutrition .62:1405. Karger,  Basel, p 5 USA.
  7. Galdston, T. (1996). Human historic and scientific. International university press. New York.
  8. Gratzer & walter. (2006). Terror of the table: the curious history of nutrition. Oxford university press. ISBN, 0xford.
  9. Green, A. (2004). Adequate fruits consumption among school children. University of California. Califonia.
  10. Hearly, B. (2005). the importance of nutrition. History of fruits and vegetables. Retreieved from  www.kideyber.wm.auhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/cncosts.htm.
  11. Hung, H. C., Joshipure, K. J.,  Jiang, R.,  Hu, F. B.,  Hunter, D.,  Smith-Warner, S. A, Colditz, G. A., Rosner, B., Spiegelman D., & Willett. W. C.  (2004). Fruit and Vegetable Intake and           Risk of  Major Chronic Disease.  Journal of the National Cancer Institute 96:1577-84
  12. Just, D., & Price, J. (2011). “Using Incentives to Encourage Healthy Eating in Children.” Working paper, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
  13. Ladua, K. (2010). What is nutrition? Tips for a healthy lifestyle. Design and hosted by Iron SEO.
  14. Liu, R. H. (2013). Health-Promoting Components of Fruit and vegetables in the Diet. Adv. Nutr.   4: 384S–392S.
  15. Marcia, K. (2010). Human nutrition in developing world. 8th edition, Corne University. USA.
  16. Pollard, J., Kirk, S. F. L., and Cade, J. E. (2002). Factors affecting food choice in relation to fruit and vegetable intake: a review. Nutrition Research Review, volume 15, pp. 373-387
  17. Rasmussen, H. (2006). Problems associated with low fruits and vegetables intake. Oxford university press. Oxford.
  18. Rasmussen, M., Krølner, R., Klepp Knut-Inge, Lytle, L., Brug, J., Bere, E, & Due, P. (2006).  Determinants fruit and vegetable consumption among children and adolescents: a review   of the literature. Part I: Quantitative studies. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. #
  19. Rosenbloom, (2009). Frequency of fruits and vegetables. Barlets and Jones press. New York.USA.
  20. Santos, A & Reynolds, J. (1999). Cronbach’s Alpha. A tool for Assessing Reliability of Scale.Downloaded 3rd July 2016 from Http//wwwjoe.org/joe/1999April/tt3html.
  21. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research Methods for Business Students (5th  Ed.).    London: Prentice Hall.
  22. Southgate, D. (1991). Nature and variability of human food consumption. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1991;334:281–8.
  23. Twenefour, F. B. K, Sekyi, E., Fynn, P. (2015). A Situational Analysis of Pregnancy Related  Challenges in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, Ghana. Journal of Natural Science            Research, 5(6).  Retrieved from  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274756921
  24. USDA. (2011). Food and Nutrition Service. Federal Cost of School Food Programs.
  25. Willet, H. (2003). Nuffield Institute for Health. Clarendon research review. Impact factors. University of Leeds.
  26. Willett, W. C. (2002). Balancing life-style and genomics research for disease prevention.     Science, 296:695–698.
  27. World Health Organization. (2000). A systematic review of socioeconomic difference in food             habit in Europe: consumption of fruits and vegetables. European journal of nutrition.          54:706-74. Europe.
  28. World Health Organization. (2002). “The World Health Report 2002: Reducing Risks,       Promoting Healthy Lifestyle.” World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
  29. World Health Organization. (2005). Nutrition epidemiology group. New York
  30. Zhang, D., & Hamauzu Y. (2004). Phenolics, ascorbic acid, carotenoids and antioxidant activity   of broccoli and their changes during conventional and microwave cooking. Food        Chemistry, 88: 503–509.

Cite this Article: