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The food and nutrient intake of 250 (135 male, 115 female) adolescent Nigerian high school students have been surveyed to determine the contributions of different food groups to their intakes of protein, calcium and iron. Twenty‐four‐hour dietary recall technique was used to obtain details of food intake and questionnaires administered to obtain social and economic circumstances of subjects’ family. Male subjects had more energy, protein, calcium and iron intake but no significant (p < 0.05) differences when compared with females. Cereal based foods were the most important sources of dietary protein, supplying between 40‐52 per cent for all subjects and 60 per cent or more for 29 per cent of the subjects. Proportions of dietary protein from legumes, meats, vegetables and roots ranged from10‐21 per cent, 3‐13 per cent, 7‐17 per cent, 6.5‐12.9 per cent respectively. Cereals were also the most important source of dietary calcium (56.8 per cent) and iron (33.16 per cent) for most subjects. The contribution of meats and legumes however, approximate that of cereals for 36 per cent of subjects. Apart from gender, residence at home or in boarding house and the socio‐economic status of the subject’s family significantly affect the sources of dietary protein, calcium and iron.

The objectives of the study are the standardization of ten Nigerian dishes and the determination of their proximate composition. Recipes for the ten dishes were obtained through the use of questionnaires. There were 200 respondents to the questionnaires consisting of housewives living in the major towns of south‐western Nigeria. One recipe for each meal was extracted from a known cookery book. The means for each ingredient of all the dishes were calculated from ten randomly selected recipes and then used in the preparation of the standardized dishes. The standardized dishes are: Burabisko, Jollof rice, Agbono soup, Stewed beans and fried plantain, Bean pudding, Melon seed and vegetable soup, Ikokore, Eba imoyo, Yam and eggs and Yam pottage. Consumer acceptability tests were conducted as well as proximate analyses according to AOAC. All dishes were considered acceptable since they scored more than 3, the benchmark for acceptability. Energy content of the dishes ranged from 281Kcal/100g (Jollof rice) to 510Kcal/100g (Agbono soup). The crude protein content ranged from 7.5g/100g for Burabisko to 27.4g/100g for Jollof rice. The results suggest that these dishes are good sources of energy and protein.

The aim of the study is to assess the dietary diversity score (DDS) and nutritional status of women in the University of Agriculture extension village in rural areas of Ogun State, Nigeria.

A representative sample of 204 women was surveyed from the rural villages in two seasons using simple random technique. A pretested interview guide was used to collect information on personal data, and socio demographic characteristics of the subjects. Information on dietary diversity was obtained using Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Project questionnaire (FANTA). Body mass index (BMI), waist‐hip ratio (WHR) and skin fold thickness were used in classifying obesity. Information on food intake was obtained from 24‐hour dietary recall techniques. For each season, a DDS was computed and the nutritional status was assessed. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics; SPSS software package version 16.0.

The socio economic characteristic revealed that more than half (53 percent) had no formal education, 59 percent were small scale farmers. The DDS increased from 3.55±7.6 to 3.93±4.3 between the two seasons. DDS within the various food groups showed that fruit group increased from 0.48±0.20 to 0.52.±0.10, vegetable group 0.60±0.30 to 0.66±0.30, and meat group 0.48±0.20 to 0.58±0.30 while cereals/grain groups and oil/dairies group decreased from 0.42±0.30 to 0.37, 0.11±0.30 to 0.09, respectively, between the two seasons. The nutrient content of the subjects was calculated from nutrient contents of foods obtained from food composition tables and compared to dietary reference intake (DRI). The results showed that the protein, energy and fat intakes of the subjects increased significantly during the rainy season (p<0.05). Two percent of the subjects gained weight, 4 percent had weight reduction from overweight and obese category. The result of the waist‐hip ratio showed that 78 percent had normal waist‐hip ratio, 14 percent had overweight, and 7 percent were obese. The dietary diversity score of the subjects was low. There is need for nutritional education in the villages.

This may be the first research work to assess the dietary diversity score of rural women in Nigeria.

This paper aims to review the chemical composition and industrial benefits of oil extracted from dikanut kernels.

Several literatures on chemical composition of dikanut kernels, methods of oil extraction from dikanut kernels and chemical composition of oil extracted from dikanut kernels were critically reviewed.

The review showed that proximate composition of dikanut kernels ranged from 2.10 to 11.90 per cent, 7.70 to 9.24 per cent, 51.32 to 70.80 per cent, 0.86 to 10.23 per cent, 2.26 to 6.80 per cent and 10.72 to 26.02 per cent for moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, ash and carbohydrate contents, respectively. The methods of oil extraction from dikanut kernels include soxhlet extraction method, novel extraction method, enzymatic extraction method and pressing method. The quality attributes of dikanut kernel oil ranged from 1.59 to 4.70 g/100g, 0.50 to 2.67 meq/Kg, 4.30 to 13.40 g/100g, 187.90 to 256.50 mg KOH/g and 3.18 to 12.94 mg KOH/g for free fatty acid, peroxide value, iodine value, saponification value and acid value, respectively. Also, the percentage compositions of oleic, myristic, stearic, linolenic, palmitic, lauric, saturated fatty acids, monosaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids ranging from 0.00 to 6.90, 20.50 to 61.68, 0.80 to 11.40, 0.27 to 6.40, 5.06 to 10.30, 27.63 to 40.70, 97.45 to 98.73, 1.82 to 2.12 and 0.27 to 0.49 respectively. The results showed that dikanut kernels has appreciable amount of protein, carbohydrate and high level of fat content while oil extracted from dikanut kernels have high saponification value, high myristic acid and high lauric acid.

There are scanty information/published works on industrial products made from oil extracted from dikanut kernels.

The review helps in identifying different methods of extraction of oil from dikanut kernels apart from popular soxhlet extraction method (uses of organic solvent). Also, it helps to identify the domestic and industrial benefits of oil extracted from dikanut kernels.

The review showed that oil extracted from dikanut kernels could be useful as food additive, flavour ingredient, coating fresh citrus fruits and in the manufacture of margarine, oil creams, cooking oil, defoaming agent, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.

There is the need to focus on humans while designing engineering facilities for users. The need to focus on Nigerians when designing for them is presented in this paper. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Relevant literatures were consulted on the history of ergonomics and its importance was stressed. Some instances where ergonomics should be applied in the country were identified.

The paper observed that the application of ergonomics in Nigeria is low and some constraints that are militating against the use of ergonomics in Nigeria are discussed.

The paper suggested ways to fully imbibe the use of human-centered engineering (ergonomics) in Nigeria.

This purpose of this study was to assess dietary diversity among women of reproductive age (WRA) and the associations between consumption of a diversified diet and overweight/obesity statuses in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Cross-sectional study of 207 WRA from six local government areas in Ekiti State, Nigeria, was done. A validated interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, dietary intake and anthropometry. Dietary intake was assessed with 24-h dietary recall to calculate the Minimum Dietary Diversity Score for Women (MDD-W). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman rank correlation and Chi square test at α_0.05.

Majority of the participants (65.2%) were aged between 19 and 34 years, 58.5% were married and 49.8% had high school as their highest level of education. Mean MDD-W and body mass index (BMI) were 3.8 ± 0.9 and 25.46 ± 6.4 kg/m², respectively. All participants (100%) consumed foods from the “grains, white roots and tubers” group and majority also from the “meat and poultry” group (79.7%) but ranked low in the consumption of foods from other food groups. Many were overweight (34.8%), obese (14.0%) and a few (1.9%) had morbid obesity. MDD-W was significantly associated with marital status (X² = 7.7, P = 0.022) and BMI (X² = 11.4, P = 0.023) and had a weak positive correlation with BMI (r = 0.189, P = 0.007).

Study shows that both undernutrition and overweight/obesity coexist in the population, indicating a case of double burden of malnutrition (DBM) at a population level. However, further studies may be needed to investigate the extent of DBM at individual levels. Although there was a positive correlation between MDD-W and BMI, it cannot be used to predict causality. Study further reveals that the micronutrient intake of the WRA population in Ekiti is inadequate. Considering the importance of the 10 food groups highlighted in MDD_W to nutrition and health, the promotion of the consumption of foods from these food groups with more attention to the micronutrient-rich ones needs to be heightened.

Diet of participants was not diverse enough, indicating micronutrient inadequacy. Promotion of the consumption of a diverse diet, particularly from the food groups rich in micronutrient, needs to be heightened, while food groups high in calorie should be minimally consumed to forestall DBM.

The economic recession that Nigeria recently passed through caused distortions in economic and well-being of Nigerians. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of the economic recession on households’ demand for basic foodstuffs in Southwest Nigeria.

Data were collected from 380 respondents drawn from urban areas of Lagos, Osun and Oyo states using multistage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics and Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System were employed to analyze data collected.

The study showed sharp increase in the prices of basic foodstuffs during recession. Households were compelled to spend higher percentage of their monthly income on basic foodstuffs. Also, 51.1 percent of the respondents were government workers who experienced inconsistent or modulated monthly salary during the period. The percentage of households that were food insecure was 36.4 percent. Osun State had the highest monthly per capita expenditure (₦5,147.13) on foodstuffs, followed by Lagos and Oyo states while rice had the highest expenditure share (0.26), followed by yam (0.18), beans (0.106), vegetable oil (0.104) and garri (0.101). The breakdown also showed that 11.7, 18.1 and 17.7 percent of the total household monthly expenditures in Lagos, Osun and Oyo states, respectively, were spent on basic foodstuffs.

There purchasing power of naira reduced significantly during recession, thus compelled households to spend more on basic foodstuffs compared to similar purchases before economic recession.

The reduction in purchasing power of naira affected the formal and informal sector. Irregular salary for civil servants reduced their expenditure on goods and services.

The study is original and topical, serving as literature of accounts that transpired among the households as far as demand for basic foodstuffs is concerned during the economic recession.

Childhood under‐nutrition remains a major health problem in resource‐poor settings like the rural areas in Nigeria. The purpose of this paper is to determine the types and nutrient adequacy of complementary foods used in a rural area.

The most frequently used (52 percent) homemade complementary food (HCF) in the area was studied, employing questionnaire, standardization of recipe and chemical analysis to evaluate the complementary food and to suggest improvement.

Two varieties of local beans (white and brown) were used in the preparation of HCF in the study area. They were either peeled to remove the coat or unpeeled. There was no significant difference (p<0.05) in the protein content of the HCF made from the two varieties. Using any of the beans unpeeled children between the ages of six and eight months meet their energy and protein requirement. The calcium, iron, and zinc contents of HCF from the two bean varieties were low.

This paper may be the first to evaluate HCF using mothers' method of preparation.

Reports a study to determine the suitability of beniseed for bread making as well as the chemical composition and acceptability of the bread among Nigerian bread consuming population. Three bread samples were developed from wheat, beniseed, and cassava composite flour using the formulae 85:10:5, 80:15:5 and 75:25:5. Baking characteristics, chemical composition and acceptability tests were carried out on the samples with wheat bread serving as control. Results show that bread produced from beniseed composite flour has similar baking characteristics in terms of appearance, colour and flavour when compared with wheat bread. Consumer acceptability tests indicated that the bread samples were all acceptable, with the sample with formula 85:10:5 ranked first and being the most preferred. Analysis of chemical composition indicated that the bread samples contain higher protein, fat, crude fibre and ash. This study has shown that acceptable bread of higher nutritional value can be produced from beniseed.

Freshly‐blanched soybean seeds, mixed with grains of freshly‐harvested green field maize were combined, in ratios of 5:1 (A), 4:1 (B), 3:1 (C); 2:1 (D), 1:0 (E) and 0:1 (F), to prepare soy‐corn milk. Dried flakes of soy‐corn milk were analysed for their in vitro digestibility (IVD) and assessed on the performance of rats fed with the test materials. Protein content of the blends increased with the increased amount of soybean in the blend. The IVD of Blend C (88 per cent) was superior to the IVD of all other test blends but was similar to that of casein (90 per cent). Highest weight gain, feed intake, estimated nitrogen intake, PER, BV and NPU were associated with Blend C, and values reported for this blend compared favourably with a casein diet. Implications of the results are discussed in terms of searching for a means of combating malnutrition.