ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, DIETARY PRACTICES, AND CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

In Nigeria, the nutrition transition drives a double malnutrition burden among youth, yet evidence is scarce. This study assesses nutritional knowledge, dietary practices, and anthropometric status in young adults (aged 12–34 years) from Taraba State, North Eastern Nigeria. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 216 young people in Taraba State. Sample size was calculated using the Cochrane formula, adjusting for non-response. A structured questionnaire captured socio-demographic, physical activity, nutrition knowledge, attitudes, dietary patterns, and food frequency. Anthropometry (weight, height, waist, hip) and blood glucose were measured per standard protocols. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS version 26.0. The mean age of participants was 22.4 ± 5.1 years, with the majority being students/apprentices (68.5%) and having no personal income (43.1%). Most participants (76.9%) engaged in some form of exercise, with walking being the most common type (37.9%). Nutritional knowledge was predominantly poor (89.8%), with only 43.7% having ever participated in a nutrition lecture. Despite positive attitudes toward healthy eating (90.3% agreed that good eating habits are important for health), dietary practices were suboptimal, only 15.8% consistently consumed a variety of nutritious foods. The mean BMI was 21.74 ± 3.27 kg/m², with 13.9% underweight, 72.7% normal weight, 12.5% overweight, and 0.9% obese. Elevated waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) indicating cardiometabolic risk was observed in 24.5% of participants. Blood glucose levels were largely normal (98.6%), with only 1.4% having diabetes. This study reveals a concerning prevalence of poor nutritional knowledge (89.8%) and suboptimal dietary practices among young people in Taraba State, alongside a dual burden of underweight (13.9%) and overweight/obesity (13.4%). The high proportion (24.5%) with elevated WHR signals significant cardiometabolic risk. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted nutrition education interventions and policies promoting healthy dietary behaviors and physical activity among youth in North-Eastern Nigeria.