Determinants of Food Choices and Nutritional Knowledge among Mothers of Preschool Children in Ibadan South West Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria

Oyedunni Arulogun, University of Ibadan
Ginikachukwu Chukwulobe, University of Ibadan,

The preschool years are recognized as a period of rapid growth and development in children and mothers have a pivotal role in providing nourishing meals for their young children. Assessment of mothers' knowledge of nutrition and factors that shape their decision-making process regarding food choices is therefore crucial. This study investigated factors influencing food choices and nutritional knowledge of mothers of preschool children in Ibadan South-west Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria. The study was cross – sectional in design and a mixed method approach was used. 393 mothers of preschool selected by multistage sampling technique were surveyed and 15 in-depth interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and deductive thematic analysis. Result revealed that only 19.3% of the respondents had good nutritional knowledge. Food consumption pattern showed that snacks and beverages were eaten more than once a day among majority of the preschool children. Most mothers prioritize their children's food preferences when preparing meals and desired to explore other varieties of food in promoting the quality of diet and nutritional needs for their growth and development. The findings indicate a need for nutrition education program targeting early childhood nutrition and quality of food among mothers.

Keywords: Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Mixed methods research, Health and Morbidity

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