Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

Food habits of primary schoolchildren aged 11-15 years in Manzini, Swaziland

Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2014.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Viljoen, Annemarie T.
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2015
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867613647483699200
access_status_str Open Access
author2 Viljoen, Annemarie T.
author_browse Viljoen, Annemarie T.
author_facet Viljoen, Annemarie T.
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2015 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2014.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/46274
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:28.478Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2015
publishDateRange 2015
publishDateSort 2015
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/46274 Food habits of primary schoolchildren aged 11-15 years in Manzini, Swaziland Viljoen, Annemarie T. Dlamini, Anne T. UCTD Food habits Meal composition Traditional Swazi food Acculturation Eating patterns Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2014. In this study the food habits of schoolchildren aged 11-15 years in three primary schools in Manzini, Swaziland were described and explored. Their eating patterns and the composition of their meals during the week and over weekends, together with their familiarity, consumption and preference rating of selected traditional foods were established. The school meal programme and other aspects of the school food environment were also included as part of the study. As there is limited information on the food habits of Swazi people in general, and no recent information available on the food habits of Swaziland’s primary schoolchildren, this study has contributed to filling a gap in the literature. Studies done in other sub-Saharan African countries on the food habits of schoolchildren have reported changes in their dietary intake due to migration, urbanisation, modernisation and Westernisation, processes also found in this country’s history. This explorative and descriptive cross-sectional study is deductive in nature and followed a quantitative research design. A self-administered, pre-tested survey questionnaire consisting of closed and open-ended questions was developed and completed by 300 Grade 5, 6 and 7 primary schoolchildren to determine their eating and consumption patterns. The results reflect a change in daily meal patterns from the traditional two meals to the Western-orientated eating pattern of three meals a day with in-between-meal snacking. In-between meal snacking was more common during the week than over weekends. For the majority of the respondents breakfast consisted of either bread or a soft porridge prepared from sorghum or maize meal and tea. Lunch and supper meals were markedly predominantly stiff maize meal porridge served with a legume dish, meat stew or a vegetable relish. Rice is increasingly being eaten for lunch (25%) and supper (35%). Both healthy and unhealthy food and beverage choices were consumed as in-between-meal snacks. This, together with the reported low vegetable, fruit and milk consumption by the majority, is a matter of concern. Most of the selected traditional foods and dishes listed were familiar and consumed by the majority of the respondents. Although some traditional foods and dishes received a low preference rating, the children preferred most of those listed with the exception, as could be expected, of the bitter tasting green leafy vegetables. Concerning the school food environment, results revealed that the majority brought money to purchase food items from vendors during break-times. With the exception of fruit and fruit juice, most of the food items for sale were products with a high fat, sugar or sodium content. Most of the respondents participated in the school meal programme. Although the schoolchildren were satisfied with the meals served, they could not be regarded as nutritionally adequate. This study not only provided empirical data on the food habits of this group of Swazi schoolchildren, but also gave valuable insights into the school food environment. The important role of the school environment in promoting healthy eating was once again confirmed. Based on the findings of this study recommendations and guidelines to promote healthy eating in Swaziland’s primary schools were formulated. tm2015 Consumer Science MConsumer Science Unrestricted 2015-07-02T11:08:33Z 2015-07-02T11:08:33Z 2015/04/14 2014 Dissertation Dlamini, AT 2014, Food habits of primary schoolchildren aged 11-15 years in Manzini, Swaziland, MConsumer Science Dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/46274> A2015 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/46274 en © 2015 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Food habits
Meal composition
Traditional Swazi food
Acculturation
Eating patterns
Food habits of primary schoolchildren aged 11-15 years in Manzini, Swaziland
title Food habits of primary schoolchildren aged 11-15 years in Manzini, Swaziland
title_full Food habits of primary schoolchildren aged 11-15 years in Manzini, Swaziland
title_fullStr Food habits of primary schoolchildren aged 11-15 years in Manzini, Swaziland
title_full_unstemmed Food habits of primary schoolchildren aged 11-15 years in Manzini, Swaziland
title_short Food habits of primary schoolchildren aged 11-15 years in Manzini, Swaziland
title_sort food habits of primary schoolchildren aged 11 15 years in manzini swaziland
topic UCTD
Food habits
Meal composition
Traditional Swazi food
Acculturation
Eating patterns
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/46274