ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF NUTRITION ON THE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRESCHOOL CHILD IN OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, EDO STATE.

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of nutrition on the physical and social development of the preschool children in Oredo Local Government Area. To carryout the study, four research questions were raised. This study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study consists of all the Pre-schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. A sample size of 100 sample was drawn for the study.  A questionnaire titled "Assessing the Effects of Nutrition on the physical and social development of the preschool children in Oredo Local Government Area" was used for the study. Mean and Standard deviation were the statistics used to analyze the data. The major findings of this study revealed that nutrition significantly contributes to the physical growth of preschool children. Based on these findings the researcher concluded that nutrition has serious effects on the physical and social development of preschool children. Based on these findings the following recommendations were made: that Parents should be sensitized on the nutritional needs of their children and how they integrate it into the meals of their children and  Government should introduce school feeding programmes that adequately cater for the nutritional needs of preschool children.