Assessment of Breakfast Eating Habits Among Students of Takoradi Polytechnic

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to assess breakfast eating habits of students of Takoradi Polytechnic. Descriptive research design, which is a non-experimental research design, was applied. The sampling method adopted was the non-probabilistic convenience sampling technique. The data used was basically primary and qualitative in nature which was collected via the questionnaire administration method of the survey technique. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 16. It was discovered that majority of the students regard breakfast as the most important meal of the day. Also, the results revealed that the most common reason for eating of breakfast among students of the Polytechnic is to boost energy to start the day. Moreover, it was evidenced that majority of the students were ignorant about the constituents of a complete breakfast. It was further evinced that students perceive breakfast as a good eating habit. Individual preference was also revealed the principal determinants of students’ food choice and breakfast eating habits. It was finally discovered that lack of energy is a possible effect of skipping breakfast.  The study concluded with such recommendations, among others, that the Polytechnic should require the services of a Nutritionist to brief students on the importance of eating breakfast and what a good breakfast should contain. Students should be guided to stock their cupboards with ready-to-eat breakfast they can grab and go with. The teaching calendar of the Polytechnic should be revised so that students can have time to eat breakfast before leaving for class to avoid headache when they attend lectures in the morning. The Polytechnic should consider an establishment which serves breakfast at an affordable price on campus to encourage breakfast eating among students in the Polytechnic.

Keywords: Breakfast, constituents of complete breakfast, food choice, Takoradi Polytechnic, students’ eating habits.