Acceptability and consumption of tofu as a meat alternative among secondary school boarders in Enugu State, Nigeria: Implications for nutritional counseling and education

Tofu, a food made of condensed soymilk that originated in China, has both nutritional and health benefits. The main objective of this study was to determine the acceptability and consumption of tofu as a meat alternative among students in boarding secondary schools in Enugu State, Nigeria.In this study, the authors adopted a cross-sectional analytic design. A representative sample of 603 adolescents in the boarding secondary schools took part in the study. Power analysis was conducted to estimate the appropriate sample size for the current study. Correlations analysis, moderation analysis, χ, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and t tests were employed for the analysis of the data.Students' acceptance of the 3 cooking options of tofu (steamed, boiled, and fried) did not significantly differ by gender. It was found that 94.5% of the respondents recognized the benefits of tofu; there is no significant difference between the male and female students on the extent to which they would eat tofu in school; the recognition of benefits of tofu is not significantly associated with acceptance of steamed, boiled, and fried tofu among the students; and the recognition of benefits of tofu is not significantly associated with consumption of tofu among the students. The finding further revealed that gender did not significantly moderate the association between recognition of benefits of tofu and students' acceptability of tofu. Also, it was found that gender did not significantly moderate the association between recognition of benefits of tofu and consumption of tofu among students.Further research is needed to identify the level of tofu acceptability and consumption among adolescents in boarding secondary schools in other states of Nigeria. Further research on factors influencing how recognition of benefits of tofu is associated with its acceptability among the Nigerian student population can have implications for nutritional counseling and regional health.

Effect of music therapy combined with cognitive restructuring therapy on emotional distress in a sample of Nigerian married couples

BACKGROUND

Music therapy combined with cognitive restructuring could provide a mechanism to improve patients' sense of control over emotional distress. This study evaluates the effect of music therapy combined with cognitive restructuring therapy on emotional distress in a sample of Nigerian couples.

METHODS

The participants for the study were 280 couples in south-east Nigeria. Perceived emotional distress inventory (PEDI) was used to assess emotional symptoms. Repeated measures with analysis of variance were used to examine the effects of the intervention. Mean rank was also used to document the level of changes in emotional distress across groups. Effect sizes were also reported with partial η.

RESULTS

There were no significant baseline differences in emotional distress level between participants in the music therapy with cognitive restructuring group and waitlisted group. Significant decreases in the level of emotional distress were observed in the music therapy with cognitive restructuring group, but the waitlisted group demonstrated no significant change in their score both at posttreatment and 3 follow-up assessments.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest music therapy with cognitive restructuring therapy is effective for reducing emotional distress of couples. In addition, the positive effect of the music therapy with cognitive restructuring therapy program can persist at follow-up. Therefore, therapists have to continue to examine the beneficial effects of music therapy with cognitive restructuring therapy on emotional distress level of couples both in Nigeria and in other countries.

Alcohol consumption and awareness of its effects on health among secondary school students in Nigeria

Alcohol consumption among secondary school students is a major public health issue worldwide; however, the extent of consumption among secondary school students and their understanding of its effects on human health remain relatively unknown in many Nigerian States. This study aimed to determine the extent of alcohol consumption and of the awareness of its negative effects on human health among secondary school students.The study used a cross-sectional survey design. Self-report questionnaire developed by the researchers was administered to representative sample (N = 1302) of secondary school students in the study area. The data collected from the respondents were analyzed using means and t test.The results showed that male secondary school students moderately consumed beer (55.2%) and local cocktails (51.5%), whereas their female counterparts reported rare consumption of these 2 alcoholic drinks (44.8%; 48.5% respectively). The findings also indicated rare consumption of distilled spirits among both male and female students in the investigated area, whereas wine, liquor, local spirits, and palm wine were consumed moderately, regardless of gender. Finally, male and female secondary school students differed significantly in their awareness of the negative effects of alcohol consumption on health.There is a need to intensify efforts to further curtail the extent of alcohol consumption and increase awareness of the negative effects of alcohol use on human health among secondary school students.

Awareness of food nutritive value and eating practices among Nigerian bank workers: Implications for nutritional counseling and education

Adequate nutrition is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle for all individuals, including bank staff. The objective of this study was to investigate the awareness of food nutritive value and eating practices among bank workers in Lagos State, Nigeria.The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design. A purposive sample of 250 bank workers took part in the study. Means and Student t tests were employed for data analysis.Results showed that bank workers were aware of the nutritive value of foods, and that eating practices commonly adopted included skipping breakfast, eating breakfast at work, buying food at work from the bank canteen, eating in between meals, buying snacks as lunch, and consuming soft drinks daily, among others. There were no significant differences between male and female bank workers in mean responses on food nutritive value or in eating practices adopted.Good eating habits will help bank workers not only to improve their nutritional well-being, but also to prevent nutrition-related diseases. The implications for nutritional counseling and education are discussed in the context of these findings.