Tropentag, September 10 - 12, 2025, Bonn "Reconciling land system changes with planetary health"

Factors influencing eating habit of rural dwellers during covid-19 era in delta state, nigeria

University of Ibadan, Nigeria, Agricultural Extensio and Rural Development, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigerians typically eat two large meals during the day depending on the family, and may also consume a light breakfast with the most important meal served at noon. A pandemic is not a new event encountered in the history of humanity because mankind has faced various pandemics in history. The common point of pandemics is their serious negative effects on human health. The COVID-19 pandemic represents a massive impact on human health, causing sudden lifestyle changes, through social distancing and isolation at home, with social and economic consequences. People with weakened immune systems are at greater risk for Covid-19 infection therefore, optimising public health during this pandemic requires not only knowledge from the medical and biological sciences, but also of all human sciences related to lifestyle, social and behavioural studies, including dietary habits and lifestyle. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to slect 160 respondents for this study. Interview schedules and structured questionnaires were used to elicit socioeconomic characteristics, available food for consumption, nutritional knowledge, contributing factors and their eating habits. Data collected were analysed with the aid of descriptive and inferential statistical tools.. Larger proportion of respondents had high knowledge (76.9%; 1.7688), food is rarely available (Grains=45.6%; 0.97, Animal produces= 40.0%; 1.07, Fruits= 39.4%; 1.01), the major factors were taste (52.5%), hunger (48.4%), income (47.5%) and food availability (46.9%). Estimated monthly income (r =0.171; p=0.031), available food for consumption (r=0.242; p=0.002) and contributing factors (r=0.157; p=0.047) was significantly related to eating habits. Their eating habit was moderately high (50.6%; 1.5±0.5). Therefore, i recommend public health’s officials to pay more attention to people’s reactions during pandemics and establish guidelines to improve health and prevent diseases, Governmental should establish measures to stabilise food price, fund farmers and ensure food security.

Keywords: Eating habits, factors, rural dwellers and Covid-19

Contact Address: Mojisola Fauziyah Oyewole, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, Agricultural Extensio and Rural Development, Department of agricultural extension and rural development faculty of agric.university of ibadan Nigeria, Ibadan, Nigeria, e-mail: oyemojidola2gmail.com