Title: Impact Of Nutritional Health On The Academic Achievement Of Pupils In Public Primary Schools In Delta And Edo States
Authors: OGWUAZOR, P. N, AKPOTU, N. E,ASIYAI, R.I.
Volume: 10
Issue: 3
Pages: 233-242
Publication Date: 2026/03/28
Abstract:
This study investigated the impact of nutritional health on the academic achievement of pupils in public primary schools in Delta and Edo States, Nigeria. Three research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. An ex-post-facto research design was adopted, using both correlational and descriptive methods. The population comprised 112,436 teachers and Primary Five pupils from 2,125 public primary schools in the two states. A sample of 425 pupils was selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Two instruments were used for data collection: the Nutritional Health Questionnaire (NHQ) and the Academic Achievement Inventory (AAI). The instruments were validated by experts, and reliability was established using the test-retest method, yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.91 for the NHQ. Out of 425 questionnaires administered, 421 were retrieved and found valid for analysis, representing about 99% response rate. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that prevalent nutritional health issues among pupils included poor dietary habits, low health awareness, inadequate access to healthcare services, and frequent illness. The level of academic achievement was moderate overall, with pupils in Delta State performing slightly better than those in Edo State. A significant positive relationship was found between pupils' nutritional health and their academic achievement. Based on the findings, it was recommended that government and educational stakeholders invest in comprehensive school health programmes that provide regular health education, screening, and nutritional interventions to enhance pupils' academic achievement.