Abstract

ABSTRACT:

Persistent hunger, malnutrition, and public health problems inextricably threaten the ability of several countries to develop. The burdens of these trios on economic development in African continent cannot be overemphasized. This study investigates the effect of farming households’ nutrition on health in the Southwest Nigeria. The data used were collected with structured questionnaire through a multistage sampling of 420 agricultural households from the southwest geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistic and Probit regression and Two-Stage Probit regression (2SPR).About 42.38% of the respondents eat ≤ 3 types of food, 50.71% eat 4-6 food, 5.71% took 6-9 food while 1.19% eat within 9-12 food types within the qualitative 24hours recall period of food consumed. In addition, average body mass indices of 25.63 kg/m² ±2.67 (overweight), 26.42 kg/m² ± 2.76 (overweight) and 26.22 kg/m² ± 3.2 (overweight) were recorded in Oyo, Ogun and Osun states respectively. Also, Two-Stage Probit Regression estimate was used to determine the effect of respondents’ nutrition on health status. Result shows that respondents’ nutrition status (p<0.01), primary occupation (p<0.10), choice of health care service (p<0.05), means of excreta (p<0.10), nutrition knowledge (p<0.10) and farm distance (p<0.05) significantly influenced the probability of having normal BMI. Above all, the agricultural households’ nutrition status have positive and significant (p<0.01) contribution to change in health status of respondents. It was concluded that diversity of food intakes among the farming households was low and overweight was a key health problem in the study area. Based on the findings of this research, it was recommended among others that the government of the day should invest more in farming households’ human capital since nutritional education enhances farming households’ nutrition and health status.

pdf

Share