Analysis of the Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on the Nutritional Status of Dayap Elementary School Students in Calauan, Laguna, 2023

Date

6-2024

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Julieta A. Delos Reyes

Committee Member

Geny F. Lapiña, Maria Angeles O. Catelo

Abstract

This study analyzed the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nutritional status of the Dayap Elementary School students in Dayap, Calauan, Laguna and sought to achieve the following specific objectives: describe the students of the Dayap Elementary School and their households; determine the level of food security of their household and the nutritional status of the students before and during the pandemic; analyze the significance of the changes in the household food security and nutritional status of the students before and during the pandemic; and recommend policy options that would help improve the nutritional status of the schoolchildren.

A total of 294 Grades 4 to 6 students’ health records, encompassing height, weight, gender, and age, along with previous data of the same students three years prior were requested from the School. Surveys were conducted with household heads of the said students to gather socio-economic details. Relevant nutritional tables from the Department of Health were used as the basis to determine the students’ nutritional status based on the students’ Body Mass Index (BMI) and Height-for-Age metrics. To determine if a primary school student experienced food insecurity during the previous 12 months, the FAO’s Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) was utilized. Paired Wilcoxon signed rank test was applied to determine if there are significant changes in the food security level and nutritional status of the students before and during the pandemic. Multinomial logistic regression (MLR) analysis was performed to determine factors affecting the health and nutritional status of the students.

Results revealed a decrease in food secure households per grade level during the pandemic. Based on BMI, there was an improvement in the nutritional status of severely wasted students in Grades 4 and 6 during the pandemic. However, students with normal nutritional status in Grade 5 had a decrease in their average mean rank during the pandemic, indicating deterioration in their conditions. Regarding height-for-age, students in Grades 4 and 5 who were stunted before the pandemic had improvement, whereas those with initially normal nutritional status in Grades 5 and 6 experienced a decline in their nutritional status during the pandemic. MLR analysis proved that using BMI as indicator, the education of the household head, income, gender, household size, school feeding program, and food security level were significant. However, using the height-for-age as basis, only gender of the household head and household size were found significant.

It can be concluded that the COVID-19 Pandemic worsened the food security and nutritional status of the primary school students of Dayap Elementary School. The following were recommended: promotion of health education for household heads; partnering with medical professionals and medical schools for community health clinics and/or health outreach programs; further improvement of SBFP; implementation of farm- to-school program; and establishment of community gardens.

Language

English

LC Subject

COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-, Nutrition Evaluation

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2024 A14 C65

Notes

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Document Type

Thesis

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