Dietary Habits, Nutritional Status, And Related Factors Among Adolescents at Selected Basic Schools in The Ashaiman Municipality of The Greater Accra Region, Ghana

Abstract

Adolescence represents a crucial phase of human development, characterized by heightened nutritional requirements that support optimal physical growth and mental development. In rapidly urbanizing environments such as Ashaiman, adolescents often encounter dietary difficulties arising from socioeconomic disparities, food insecurity, and evolving food consumption behaviors. Although Ghana has implemented various national nutrition programs, there remains a lack of detailed, context-specific data on adolescent eating patterns and the factors influencing them in peri-urban settings like Ashaiman. General Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the eating behaviors, nutritional condition, and associated determinants among adolescents attending selected basic schools within the Ashaiman Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, Ghana. Methods: A quantitative, school-based cross-sectional study design was adopted, involving 422 adolescents aged 10–19 years from three basic schools in the Ashaiman Municipality. Stratified random sampling was used to ensure balanced representation across groups. Data collection employed a semi-structured questionnaire informed by the Socio-Ecological Model, complemented by anthropometric measurements such as height and weight. Nutritional status was determined using Body Mass Index (BMI)-for-age Z-scores. Data analysis was conducted using STATA version 18, applying descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression to explore associations between dietary patterns, nutritional status, and influencing variables. Results: Approximately 71.1% of participants reported consuming three meals per day, though breakfast (41.9%) and lunch (41.2%) were the meals most frequently skipped. A substantial proportion (70.6%) consumed sugar-sweetened beverages at least twice weekly, while only 22.8% ate fruits and 21.8% ate vegetables on a daily basis. Snacking was common, particularly on biscuits (27.3%) and fried foods (19.2%), compared to fruit-based snacks (8.1%). Based on nutritional assessment, 9.5% of adolescents were underweight, 78.9% had a normal BMI-for-age, and 11.6% were overweight or obese reflecting the coexistence of under nutrition and excess weight. Logistic regression analysis revealed significant associations between dietary behavior and factors such as gender, parental education, household size, and barriers like food affordability and time constraints (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Findings indicate that adolescents in Ashaiman demonstrate diverse dietary behaviors, where healthy eating practices are undermined by frequent meal omission and high consumption of calorie-dense, low-nutrient foods. The coexistence of undernutrition and overweight suggests a dual burden of malnutrition influenced by socio-demographic, interpersonal, and environmental determinants. The study underscores the importance of targeted interventions particularly school-based nutrition programs, greater parental engagement, and community-oriented initiatives to promote healthier eating habits and improved nutritional wellbeing among adolescents in Ashaiman.