BackgroundSchool children in developing countries like Nigeria are faced with numerous nutrition and health problems. Lack of functional school health and nutrition programmes in Enugu state, Nigeria may be associated with dearth of data on associated factors. Identifying these factors could inform the design and implementation of school-based programmes aimed at ameliorating these problems.MethodsA cross sectional survey involving 450 primary and secondary school children aged 6–15 years was conducted in Ede-Oballa, a rural community in Enugu state, South-eastern Nigeria. Selection of the pupils was by multistage sampling technique. Data were collected through interviewer administered questionnaire, anthropometric measurements of weight and height, 3-day weighed food intake, stool microscopy and blood analyses for malaria, zinc and vitamin A. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate associations of interest with significance accepted at P < 0.05.ResultsThe school children were affected by underweight (18.2%), stunting (41.6%), thinness (20.0%), zinc (43.3%) and vitamin A (51.1%) deficiencies. After adjusting for potential confounders, weekly food expenditure was a major predictor of under-weight (AOR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.46), stunting (AOR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.95) and thinness (AOR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.80); household income was also a predictor of thinness (AOR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.88). Males had lower odds of being stunted than females (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.83). The odd of being underweight was higher in female headed households than in households headed by males (AOR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.75). Tapeworm was an independent predictor of vitamin A (AOR = 3.59; 95% CI: 1.06, 12.13) and zinc (AOR = 3.64; 95% CI: 1.02, 12.98) deficiencies. Children with whipworm were more likely to be zinc (AOR = 3.80; 95% CI: 1.11, 13.04) and vitamin A (AOR = 3.79; 95% CI: 1.12, 12.89) deficient than those uninfected.ConclusionUnderweight, stunting, thinness, vitamin A and zinc deficiency among the school children were functions of weekly food expenditure, gender of household head and household income, tapeworm, whipworm, and sex. These findings emphasize the need for effective school- and community-based interventions.

Background:Job-related stress undermines occupational, personal, and organizational outcomes. Stress symptoms are common among teachers of children with autism spectrum disorders and affect the academic progress of the children. This study investigated the effectiveness of yoga-based cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing occupational stress among teachers of children with autism in Lagos states, Nigeria.Methods:The current study adopted a group-randomized waitlist control (WLC) trial design with pre-test, posttest, and follow-up assessments. Participants included 58 teachers of children with autism in public and private special schools in Lagos state. Participants were randomly assigned to combined cognitive behavioral therapy and yoga (Y-CBT) (N = 29) and WLC (N = 29) groups. The Y-CBT group participated in a 2 hours Y-CBT program weekly for 12 weeks. Three instruments – Demographic Questionnaire, Single-Item Stress Questionnaire, and Teachers’ Stress Inventory (TSI) were used to collect data. Data were collected at baseline; posttest and follow-up evaluations. Data were analyzed using means, standard deviations, t test statistics, repeated measures analysis of variance, and bar charts.Results:Results revealed that all dimensions of job stress (perception of stress sources, stress manifestation, and total TSI scores) reduced significantly at posttest and follow up assessments among the Y-CBT group, compared to the WLC.Conclusion:It was concluded that Y-CBT modalities could help to minimize the perception of stress sources and stress manifestation as well as total TSI scores among teachers of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Poor nutritional status among adolescents and young adults can have serious consequences on their health. This study assessed the nutrition knowledge, anthropometric, haematological indices and associated factors among female undergraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 500 respondents from four faculties of the University. Nutrition knowledge and food habit of the respondents were obtained using structured and validated questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements (weight and height), haemoglobin, haematocrit, malaria parasite and blood pressure were obtained. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 18.0 was used for data analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Data were presented as frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation. Relationships existing among variables at p < 0.05 were determined using Pearson's correlation. Fair nutrition knowledge existed in 40.0% of the respondents. Anthropometric measurements revealed that 40.0% and 2.0% were overweight and severely obese, respectively. The prevalence of mild anaemia was 25.3% while 64% had for malaria parasite. Systolic and diastolic hypertension existed in 2.7% and 5.3%, respectively. Significant (p < 0.05) relationship existed between haemoglobin and monthly allowance; malaria parasite; body mass index (BMI) and nutrition knowledge. Poor nutrition knowledge, obesity, malaria and anaemia existed among the respondents. Nutrition education is required and should be promoted amongst University students.