Examining the Prevalence and Socio-demographic Correlates of Food Neophobia and Fussiness in Nsukka Urban School-aged Population

The study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of food neophobia and food fussiness among school-aged children in Nsukka urban. The 4 objectives guided the study were to determine the prevalence of food neophobia and fussiness and to ascertain the demographic factors associated with food neophobia and fussiness. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. The population was 23,570 pupils in Nsukka urban and a multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 398 pupils to participate in the study. A structured questionnaire with a reliability index of 0.86 and 0.74, was used for data collection. Frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviation and chi-square were used for data analysis. Findings showed that the overall prevalence of food neophobia among the children was 22.3%, with common food neophobia behaviors being preferring familiar cultural foods and avoiding unknown foods. Food fussiness was observed in 25.5% of the children, with behaviors such as being selective about what children eat and reluctance to try foods from other ethnic groups. Socio-demographic factors such as gender, school type, religion, ethnicity, family type, parents’ age, marital status, occupation, household income and size were significantly associated with food neophobia. The child’s age, area of residence and parents’ education were not significantly associated with food neophobia. Food fussiness was significantly associated with socio-demographic factors, including the child’s age, ethnicity, family type, parents’ age and occupation, household size and income. Child’s gender, school type, religion, area of residence, parents’ marital status and education were not significantly associated with food fussiness among the children. The study concludes that various socio-demographic factors influence the prevalence of food fussiness and neophobia among children. This highlights the need for targeted interventions that consider these factors to promote healthy eating behaviors among children. Nutritionists and food scientists were recommended to conduct nutrition education campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of an adequate diet.