Abstract
Street foods are prepared or cooked by vendors in a street or other public location for immediate consumption. In the global food system context, street foods are an essential part of urban food systems that offer convenient options for countless people worldwide. Street food consumption is prevalent among students due to its convenience and accessibility. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional content of street foods and their contribution to students’ dietary intake. Structured questionnaires and 24-hour dietary recalls were used to collect data from a sample of 200 students selected through random sampling. The findings indicate that most respondents (50.5%) were aged between 15 and 21, and 74.3% consumed street foods at least once or twice a week. According to the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 2,000 kcal per day, the average calorie intake from street foods was 1,174 kcal, which is 58.7% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for females and 1,380 kcal per day, meeting only 55.22% of the RDA for males, with excess carbohydrate consumption (150.5% of RDA and 175.06% of RDA) for females and males, respectively, and deficiencies in calcium and vitamins. Inadequate intake of calcium, iron, and vitamins was noted, particularly for vitamin B2, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E. The study concluded that while street foods offer convenience, they do not provide sufficient nutrition for optimal growth and development in this population, potentially leading to long-term health risks such as micronutrient deficiencies and chronic diseases.
Presenters
Olubunmi AlabiStudent, Master of Science in Human Nutririon and Dietetics, Human Nutrition amd Dietetics Department, University of Ibadan, Ibadan. Nigeria, Oyo, Nigeria Imosi Olatunji
Assistant Lecturer, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics , Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Nigeria
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
STREET-FOOD, NUTRIENT-ADEQUACY, FOOD-SYSTEM
