Folake Olukemi Samuel

• BSc, MSc, PhD
• Professor at University of Ibadan

This cross-sectional study assessed the risk of zinc deficiency in randomly selected children, aged between 7 and 11 years, living in a poor, peri-urban informal settlement in South Africa. Dietary intake of 149 respondents was evaluated by 24-hour recall and quantitative food frequency questionnaires. Anthropometric and biochemical indices of a su...

Objective: To perform a systematic review to evaluate iron, vitamin A, zinc, and iodine status and intakes in children and adolescents (0-19 years) in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Method: Both national and subnational data published from the year 2005 to 2015 were searched via MEDLINE, Scopus, and national public health websites....

A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the status and intake of iron, vitamin A, iodine, folate and zinc in women of reproductive age (WRA) (≥15-49 years) and pregnant women (PW) in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. National and subnational data published between 2005 and 2015 were searched via Medline, Scopus and national public he...

Background and Objective: The importance of optimal nutrition should not be underestimated in population well-being and national development. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between household food insecurity (HFI) and child dietary diversity (CDD) in mother-child (24-59 months) pairs in an urban population. Method: HFI and CDD...

Background Household-level food safety practices may have a long-term outcome on the nutrition and health status of under-five children. This study explores the relationships between caregivers’ self-reported food safety knowledge, behavior, perception of food safety control, and their young child’s (< 5 years) nutrition status. Methods In a cross...

Background Undernutrition is an underlying factor in nearly 50% of 1 million estimated annual deaths among Nigerian children aged <5 years. Inappropriate maternal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are basic contributors to child undernutrition. Teenage motherhood exacerbates the problem of inadequate child feeding. One possible interv...

Objectives: This study aims to understand how Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) affects Zinc, Iron, and Copper levels in lactating mothers' milk after 10 weeks of supplementation. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial with 66 lactating mother–child pairs, the intervention group (IG) received 10 weeks of Multiple Micronutrient Supple...

Current food systems fail to provide equity, sustainability, and positive health outcomes, thus underscoring the critical need for their transformation. Intervening in food environments holds substantial promise for contributing to this much-needed transformation. Despite scholars and practitioners often recognizing the necessity for bottom–up appr...

Poverty remains a serious problem in Nigeria; women are among those mostly affected and are often deprived in many ways. This paper uses the multidimensional approach to examine poverty levels among women in Ibadan South West Local Government Area, Oyo State. Primary data was obtained from a sample of 393 women across the population density areas o...

Background: Adolescent girls are nutritionally vulnerable due to their rapid growth and increased nutrient requirements. Nigeria has the sixth-largest population in the world. This study qualitatively explored the food preferences, perceptions of nutritive value and factors underlying food consumption of adolescent girls in rural communities in Nig...

Background Low fruit and vegetable (FV) intake in low- and middle-income countries, which is associated with noncommunicable diseases and micronutrient deficiencies, requires food system interventions addressing FV accessibility, affordability, and acceptability. Periodic FV intake monitoring during interventions informs progress toward achieving i...

BACKGROUND Undernutrition is an underlying factor in nearly 50% of one million estimated annual deaths in Nigerian children < 5 years. Inappropriate maternal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are basic contributors to child undernutrition. Teenage motherhood exacerbates the problem of inadequate child feeding. One possible interventio...

Aim: We aimed to gain insights into current nutritional management practices of late preterm infants (34-36 weeks gestational age) in Nigeria. Methods: Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 19 healthcare professionals (neonatologists, paediatricians, general practitioners and nurses) involved in the care and nutritional management of late p...

Large-scale food fortification (LSFF) programs are widely implemented in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies. However, these programs may not achieve the desired impact due to poor design or bottlenecks in program implementation. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks and a set of agreed indicators ca...

With the recent growing interest in improving fruit and vegetable intake for better health and limited research resources in many settings, simple-to-administer and low-priced indicators are essential tools for monitoring fruit and vegetable intake at the population level. A potential candidate indicator is the fruit and vegetable component of the...

Assessment of the prevalence of the Double Burden of Malnutrition among Mother-Child Pairs in Ibadan South West Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria

Globally, malnutrition among under-five children remains a public health concern. There is increasing concern at research and policy levels about anthropometric failure and the double burden of child malnutrition across different groups of children. The objective of this study was to describe the magnitude and distribution of various forms of anthr...

Background: In response to calls to increase nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development developed the Nigeria Agricultural Sector Food Security and Nutrition Strategy 2016-2025 (AFSNS). Capacity development activities to facilitate the AFSNS implementation subsequently commenced. Objective: T...

Objectives In Africa, Nigeria has the largest economy and the greatest investment in agriculture. Yet, the country ranks 103rd of 116 in the Global Hunger Index, and only 23% of children receive diets with the minimum diversity. Inadequate consumption of nutrient-dense foods is an underlying cause of undernutrition. This study qualitatively evaluat...

Malnutrition results in a high prevalence of stunting, underweight, and micronutrient deficiencies. This study investigated the effect of a multi-nutrient fortified dairy-based drink on micronutrient status, growth, and cognitive development in malnourished [height-for-age z-score (HAZ) and/or weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) < -1 SD and >−3 SD] Nigeri...

This report presents the findings from a two day online Food Systems Training with member of Multi-stakeholder Platforms active in Nigeria held December 15th and 16th 2021. The workshop was organized by Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation and IIAT. The workshop was based on tools from the Food Systems Decision Support Tool Developed by KIT...

As part of the measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Nigeria during the early stages of the pandemic, a lockdown of movements within and from outside the country was declared by the federal government. This article presents findings on food-related coping strategies adopted during the COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria. A cross sectiona...

Inadequate fruit and vegetable intake is a risk factor for malnutrition and non-communicable diseases, particularly in low-and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the determinants of daily fruit and vegetable consumption among low-income households in urban and peri-urban areas of Hanoi, Vietnam and Ibadan, Nigeria. We used the ba...

This study determined food neophobia (FN) and the relationship of infant feeding practice (IFP) and (FN) among pre-school children in Orogun community, Ibadan. Three hundred and seventy mothers of pre-school children were chosen using a systematic random sampling technique from a pre-survey house to house list of eligible children. A semi-structure...

Objectives: Bauchi is one of the 36 states in Nigeria, the seventh most populous country in the world. This area has the second highest prevalence of thinness among women; with unacceptably high proportions of children 0-5 years being stunted. Household dietary intake is believed to be an underlying factor for this nutrition situation. Determinatio...

Introduction: Diet and nutrition are leading causes of global morbidity and mortality. Our study aimed to identify and synthesise evidence on the association between food environment characteristics and diet, nutrition and health outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), relevant to urban settings, to support development and impl...

Objective This study aimed to uncover the effect of voided urinary volume on small intestine permeability ratios in healthy children. Methods We assessed small intestine permeability in 155 apparently healthy children, aged 3–5 years old, without any visible symptoms of disease, in a rural, malaria-endemic setting in Nigeria, using a multi-sugar t...

arrier analysis is completed with at least 45 doers of the behavior of interest and 45 non-doers who do not practice the behaviour. In this case, the behaviour of interest was the consumption of an adequate quantity and diversity of fruits and vegetables by low income adults in the focal neighbourhoods. Doers and non-doers were identified based on...

Objectives Bauchi State has the second highest prevalence of acute malnutrition (13%) among girls and women in Nigeria. Individual and household-level factors that may influence the food consumption of rural adolescent girls were explored in six local government areas of Bauchi State in Northern Nigeria. Methods Focus group discussions were used t...

In this paper, we identify and discuss the types of research that can support the operationalization of food systems approaches to improving the quality of diets in Nigeria. Specifically, we structured a consultative workshop with key stakeholders, reviewed the literature, and applied food systems framework to the Nigerian context. The process enab...

Prevalence of anaemia among Nigerian toddlers is reported to be high, and may cause significant morbidity, affects brain development and function and results in weakness and fatigue. Although, iron fortification can reduce anaemia, yet the effect on gut microbiota is unclear. This open-label randomised study in anemic malnourished Nigerian toddlers...

In this IFPRI discussion paper, we identify and discuss the types of research that can support the operationalization of food systems approaches to improving the quality of diets in Nigeria. Specifically, we structured a consultative workshop with key stakeholders, reviewed the literature, and applied food systems framework to the Nigerian context....

Background: Studies exploring adolescent dietary patterns (DP) and nutritional status often focus on in-school adolescents with limited data on out-of-school adolescents. Methods: We sampled 190 out-of-school adolescents on an apprenticeship in Agbowo community, Ibadan, Nigeria. Anthropometric measurements, weight (kg), and height (cm) were taken...

Using retailer sample from two market (180 retailers) and two neighborhood (87 retailers) locations, this Market Level Assessment (MLA) reveals overlaps and parallels in retailer characteristics, business modules as well as returns on investment. The MLA was carried out across four fruit and vegetable groups peculiar to the Nigerian environment nam...

: Proper nutrition is crucial for normal brain and neurocognitive development. Failure to optimize neurodevelopment early in life can have profound long-term implications for both mental health and quality of life. Although the first 1000 days of life represent the most critical period of neurodevelopment, the central and peripheral nervous systems...

Background Biofortified yellow cassava has been developed to alleviate vitamin A deficiency. We examined the potential contribution of yellow cassava to total Retinol Activity Equivalent (RAE) intake if replacing white by yellow cassava among pre-school Nigerian children. Methods Dietary intake was assessed as part of a randomized controlled trial...

Background: Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Pro-vitamin A biofortified (yellow) cassava has the potential to contribute significantly to improve vitamin A status, especially in populations that are difficult to reach with other strategies. Objectives: The study aimed at determining the efficacy of biofor-tifie...

The food insecurity experiences and related behaviors of Nigerian households during the COVID-19 lockdown have not been fully discussed. This study was conducted to elicit information on the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on economic and behavioral patterns related to food access. An online-based semi-structured questionnaire distributed through messa...

Malnutrition among under-5 children has been linked to inadequate complementary feeding practices. Children living without permanent parents have also been proven to have a higher risk of malnutrition, which puts their growth and development in danger. In this study, an impact evaluation of nutrition education was carried out on the knowledge and...

Background: Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Pro-vitamin A biofortified (yellow) cassava has the potential to contribute significantly to improve vitamin A status, especially in populations that are difficult to reach with other strategies. Objectives: The study aimed at determining the efficacy of biofor-tifie...

Proper nutrition is crucial for normal brain and neurocognitive development. Failure to optimize neurodevelopment early in life can have profound long-term implications for both mental health and quality of life. Although the first 1000 days of life represent the most critical period of neurodevelopment, the central and peripheral nervous systems c...

Barrier analysis is completed with at least 45 doers of the behavior of interest and 45 non-doers who do not practice the behaviour. In this case, the behaviour of interest was the consumption of an adequate quantity and diversity of fruits and vegetables by low income adults in the focal neighbourhoods. Doers and non-doers were identified based on...

Background and objectives: The period of transition from breastfeeding to other foods and liquids, is a very vulnerable period when malnutrition is likely to start in many infants and young children, if appropriate feeding practices are not employed. This study assessed using composite indices, the appropriateness of complementary feeding practice...

Corchorus olitorius is a widely consumed indigenous green leafy vegetable in Nigeria, however the consumption of its fruit is less known. This study was designed to determine the nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of raw and cooked C. olitorius fruit. The sensory acceptability of C. olitorius fruit soup was also compared with the commonly consu...

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare food consumption and dietary diversity in smallholder cassava value chain households (CVCHs) and non-cassava value chain households (non-CVCHs). Design/methodology/approach A total of 572 rural households were selected using multi-stage sampling from Oyo and Kwara states, Southwest Nigeria. Socio-dem...

Abstract The Problems/Issues: The level of food insecurity as of now in Nigeria is higher. The consequences in term of morbidity, mortality, malnutrition rates and epidemiological statistics are summarily high. While food production is inadequate and food export bill is rising, population and therefore demand is and will continue to rise. Several a...

Sustainable diets are culturally acceptable diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security as well as healthy life for present and future generations. Traditional dietary patterns have been shown to provide sustainable benefits for individual health and environment. However, market globalisation fostered by urb...

The aim of this qualitative study was to identify traditional green leafy vegetables (TGLVs) available in Eleruwa, a rural farming community and to gain insight into their current state of utilisation, nutritional/ health importance and their potential for promotion...

Introduction Health workers at the primary level are well positioned to provide health information and counselling on child feeding to mothers on antenatal visits. The study was designed to evaluate the effect of training on the knowledge, attitudes and provision of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) information and counselling among primary hea...

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of feeding problems among children 6 to 24 months of age in Ibadan, Nigeria. Two hundred and seventy five mother‐child pairs were recruited from four selected Primary Health Centres in Ibadan North Local Government Area. A semi‐structured questionnaire was used to collect information on so...

Masa is a cereal based snack made from rice, maize or millet. It is popularly consumed in the northern regions of Nigeria. The objective of this work was to assess the nutritional and sensory properties of the rice-masa, enriched with soybean and crayfish. The enriched rice-masa produced were labelled sample A (100% rice), sample B (rice: soybean b...

Food insecurity and malnutrition are persistent problems in Nigeria. Analysis of spatial pattern of these problems at community level is important to target the affected with appropriate intervention. This study determined the prevalence and spatial pattern of food insecurity and childhood malnutrition in Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State N...

Adolescence presents a window of opportunity to prepare nutritionally for a healthy adult life, hence exploring the synergy between dietary diversity and anthropometric parameters is important to help inform appropriate health promoting dietary interventions in this age group. The study was designed to assess the dietary diversity and its relation...

In spite of the numerous health benefits of soy and its products, soyfoods have recently become controversial and its benefits have been challenged. Concerns have been raised about possible adverse effects of soy consumption. Underlying most of the benefits and concerns is the presence of isoflavones in soybeans. Such concerns include its role in t...

Aims: This study explored the knowledge and attitude concerning Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) among young women who are apprenticed to learn hairdressing in Agbowo community, Ibadan, Nigeria. Study Design: The study was cross sectional in design. Place and Duration of Study: Study was carried out in Agbowo community in Ibadan-north local government...

Objective: To assess the prevalence of undernutrition in young children using conventional indicators (wasting, stunting and underweight) and the relatively recent Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) . Methods: Anthropometric assessments (weight and length/height) were conducted on children (0–5 years) from 99 households in a rural com...

This study investigated levels and patterns of stunting among 366 under-five children in 3 selected urban communities (high, medium, and low density) and one rural community in Oyo State. Stunting was defined as height height-for-age z-scores less than −2 standard deviations from the median of the reference population using World Health Organizatio...

Poor communities are marginalized in their access to economic, social and political resources. For nutrition, the argument about who is poorer - the rural poor or the urban poor - is immaterial as the bottom line is that they are both poor and experience deprivations which lead to nutritional vulnerabilities. This paper aims to provide insights int...

The objective of this study was to assess the burden and determinants of childhood undernutrition in an urban slum community in Ibadan, Nigeria. A 3‐stage stratified random sampling was used to select 273 children (0–24 months) from one slum community in the city of Ibadan. The prevalence of wasting, stunting and underweight was computed while the...

Tapioca is a cassava-based food product made in the form of irregular lumps of partly gelatinized starch grits. Tapioca was enriched with varying proportions of soybean flour (0, 85% -15%, 75% -25%, 50% -50%) to produce Soy-tapioca (ST). Nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of ST were determined by standard methods, while sensory evaluation was a...

Tapioca is a cassava-based food product made in the form of irregular lumps of partly gelatinized starch grits. Tapioca was enriched with varying proportions of soybean flour (0, 85% -15%, 75% -25%, 50% -50%) to produce Soy-tapioca (ST). Nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of ST were determined by standard methods, while sensory evaluation was a...

Tapioca is a cassava-based food product made in the form of irregular lumps of partly gelatinized starch grits. Tapioca was enriched with varying proportions of soybean flour (0, 85% -15%, 75% -25%, 50% -50%) to produce Soy-tapioca (ST). Nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of ST were determined by standard methods, while sensory evaluation was a...

Tapioca is a cassava-based food product made in the form of irregular lumps of partly gelatinized starch grits. Tapioca was enriched with varying proportions of soybean flour (0, 85% -15%, 75% -25%, 50% -50%) to produce Soy-tapioca (ST). Nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of ST were determined by standard methods, while sensory evaluation was a...

Tapioca is a cassava-based food product made in the form of irregular lumps of partly gelatinized starch grits. Tapioca was enriched with varying proportions of soybean flour (0, 85% -15%, 75% -25%, 50% -50%) to produce Soy-tapioca (ST). Nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of ST were determined by standard methods, while sensory evaluation was a...

Tapioca is a cassava-based food product made in the form of irregular lumps of partly gelatinized starch grits. Tapioca was enriched with varying proportions of soybean flour (0, 85% -15%, 75% -25%, 50% -50%) to produce Soy-tapioca (ST). Nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of ST were determined by standard methods, while sensory evaluation was a...

Tapioca is a cassava-based food product made in the form of irregular lumps of partly gelatinized starch grits. Tapioca was enriched with varying proportions of soybean flour (0, 85% -15%, 75% -25%, 50% -50%) to produce Soy-tapioca (ST). Nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of ST were determined by standard methods, while sensory evaluation was a...

Tapioca is a cassava-based food product made in the form of irregular lumps of partly gelatinized starch grits. Tapioca was enriched with varying proportions of soybean flour (0, 85% -15%, 75% -25%, 50% -50%) to produce Soy-tapioca (ST). Nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of ST were determined by standard methods, while sensory evaluation was a...

Tapioca is a cassava-based food product made in the form of irregular lumps of partly gelatinized starch grits. Tapioca was enriched with varying proportions of soybean flour (0, 85% -15%, 75% -25%, 50% -50%) to produce Soy-tapioca (ST). Nutrient and anti-nutrient composition of ST were determined by standard methods, while sensory evaluation was a...

South African maize meal porridge (pap) was analyzed for its nutritional properties after reheating by microwave following room-temperature storage for 12 and 24 h. In comparison with freshly prepared samples, reheated samples showed a higher resistant starch content with values of 44.2 ± 8.1 g/100 g and 39.8 ± 9.4 g/100 g when reheated after 12 an...

This descriptive cross-sectional survey determined the influence of socio-economic, household and child-related factors on the nutritional status of children (0-5yrs) in farming households of Oyo State, Nigeria. The study was conducted using a multi-stage sampling technique to select 201 mother-child pairs from 18 farming communities in the state....

Adequate dietary intake of antioxidants is vital for the promotion of health, well being and longevity of the elderly. This study assessed the prevalence of vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) deficiency in a population of low-income South African elderly. Serum vitamin A and vitamin E concentrations were determined in 235 persons...

The elderly are particularly prone to zinc deficiency because of nutritional and physiological vulnerabilities associated with ageing. A low socio-economic status may further increase the risk of zinc deficiency. This cross-sectional descriptive study assessed the zinc status of an elderly sample in the Vaal region, South Africa. The participants w...

The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity is relevant not only in developed nations but also recently, in developing countries of Africa. Given that obesity is associated with morbidity and mortality from several health conditions including cardiovascular diseases this has attracted growing concern. In addition, scientific evidence is acc...

This study explored the association between child undernutrition and household environmental quality in urban and rural households. Anthropometric assessments were conducted on 370 preschool children in three urban communities (high, medium and low-density) and one rural community. A structured questionnaire for mothers and an observation checklist...