Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Determinants of food security in households of under-five children in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

3^rd International Conference and Exhibition on Food Processing & Technology

July 21-23, 2014 Hampton Inn Tropicana, Las Vegas, USA

Ajao Kayode Olusola

Accepted Abstracts: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

Household food insecurity has been associated with decreased household food supplies and household supplies of nutritious food have been associated with children?s intakes of these foods. This study identified determinant of food security in the households of under-five children in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. A semistructured questionnaire was used to collect data from 828 mothers of under-five children and their children in the households using the multistage sampling technique. The instrument measured socio-demographic variables, household characteristics and household food (based on adaptation of USDA Household Food Security Questionnaire Module). Anthropometric technique was used to assess the nutritional status of the children. Data were analyzed electronically and summarized using descriptive and inferential statistics. Statistical significance was placed at p<0.05. The prevalence of stunting among the underfive children was 39.4%. Sixty-five percent of the households were identified to be food insecure while only 35% were food secure. Heads of households who had completed at least secondary school (χ2 =40.315, p<0.001), who were professionals (χ2= 48.334, p<0.001) and who had an average monthly income of N18, 500 or more (χ2=23.161, p<0.001) were significantly more likely to have households that were food secure. Mothers who ate less than desired because of insufficient finances were more likely to have stunted children (χ2 =8.362, p<0.05). At multivariate level, the factors associated with the food security of the households included level of education of head of the household (odd ratio [OR] =3.711, 95% confidence interval [CI] =2.072-6.645) and average monthly income (OR =1.955, 95% CI =1.315-2.907) This study concluded that the determinants food security of the households included education of the heads of the households and average household monthly income.

Biography :

Ajao Kayode Olusola holds a Master degree in Public Health and bachelor of Medicine and bachelor of Surgery degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He was also trained as a Food Scientist at Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria. He successfully served as a Program Officer on research and knowledge management for Population and Reproductive Health program, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife supported by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. He is currently a doctoral student at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He has a considerable experience in planning and implementing research and health programs