Dietary Diversity Score and Health Status of Apparently Healthy Civil Servants in Formal Sector in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

Aim: Health is wealth and to achieve this goal, good nutrient intake should be vigorously pursued, as, poor nutrition produces indolent work force in a nation. No nation could achieve its cardinal objectives without considering the health of the populace. Yet little or no information is available on dietary diversity score and health status of civil servants in the state. The purpose of this paper is to assess the dietary diversity pattern and health status of apparently healthy civil servants.

Study Design: A cross sectional study was carried out among randomly selected civil servants in Abeokuta Ogun state.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out among randomly selected 202 male and 298 female civil servants in Abeokuta Ogun state between January 2012 to February 2013.

Methodology: Information on dietary diversity score (DDS) was obtained using Food and Nutrition Technical Assistant (FANTA) Project Questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements and used to classify subjects’ nutritional status. Fasting blood sugar (FBS) were determined from collected blood samples of selected 44 male and 56 female.

Data collected were analysed using Statistical package for social science version 17.1.

Values were reported in mean and standard deviation; percentages. Multiple regression analysis was employed to determine the relationships of various factors to the nutritional status of the subjects. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the significant differences in food and nutrient intake and nutritional status.

Results: The DDS representing food groups consumed over 24- hour showed that men and women scored 7.99±2.4 and 6.77±2.8 respectively. The BMI showed that 4% were underweight, 54% had normal weight, 26% were overweight and 16% were obese. The mean energy intake of men and women were 3942±38 kcal and 2791±3 kcal respectively. The haematology result revealed that 47% of the subjects had low packed cell volume.

Conclusions: The civil servants had medium dietary diversity score and some were mal nourished. There is need for nutrition education and dietary interventions to assist the malnourished workers.