Theses

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A long essay or dissertation or thesis involving personal research, written by postgraduates of University of Ghana for a university degree.

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    Vitamin D Status of Ghanaian 8-12 Year Old Children in Selected Schools in the Greater Accra Region.
    (university of Ghana, 2018-07) Oteng, S.A.
    Background: Adequate serum vitamin D levels in children has been proven to improve bone health, reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and many other diseases in life. The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the best biomarker in measuring vitamin D status in the body. It is able to reflect both vitamin D levels that the body receive from sunlight and dietary sources. Little is known about the vitamin D status of the population in Ghana especially among school age child. Aim: To determine the vitamin D status of school age children between 8-12 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used in this study. Ninety-nine (99) participants were recruited from four (2 public and 2 private) schools in the Ledzokuku/Krowor constituency using the stratified and systematic random sampling. A structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect their socio-demographic data. Participant’s dietary intakes, length of sunlight exposure and anthropometric measurement were also measured. Serum vitamin D levels were determined using an ELISA test kit. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20.0 was used to analyze the data obtained. Chi-square test was used to determine the association between the categorical variables while independent t-test was used to find the mean differences between the vitamin D status of the school groups and gender. Statistical significance was set as p<0.05. Results: There was significant association between dietary vitamin D intakes and serum vitamin D levels of the respondents (p = 0.008). School children had very low sunlight exposure. Thirty-three (33%) spent <15mins/day in the sun everyday and 36% exposed themselves to sunlight during the hours of 10am-12:59 pm. Majority (73%) of the school children exposed themselves to sunlight for more than 3 days. Almost half (49%) of the participants had deficient vitamin D levels with majority (75%) reporting from the public schools.There was no significant association between anthropometric measurement (BMI- for-age) and vitamin D status. Males were 1.35 times more likely to be vitamin D sufficient compared to females. Public school children were 0.07 times less likely to be vitamin D sufficient compared to their counterparts in private schools. Conclusion: Majority of the school children had low dietary intakes of vitamin D rich foods. Also, the school children had a low length of sunlight exposure. The results from this study shows relatively low levels of serum vitamin D in 8-12 year old Ghanaian school age children and this could be as a result of low dietary intakes of vitamin D and low sunlight exposure. More of the school children in the public schools had deficient levels of vitamin D, compared to the private school children. Furthermore, there was no observed association between serum vitamin D status and anthropometric measurement.
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    Vitamin D Status of Ghanaian 8-12 Year Old Children in Selected Schools in the Greater Accra Region
    (University of Ghana, 2018-07) Oteng, S.A.
    Background: Adequate serum vitamin D levels in children has been proven to improve bone health, reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and many other diseases in life. The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the best biomarker in measuring vitamin D status in the body. It is able to reflect both vitamin D levels that the body receive from sunlight and dietary sources. Little is known about the vitamin D status of the population in Ghana especially among school age child. Aim: To determine the vitamin D status of school age children between 8-12 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used in this study. Ninety-nine (99) participants were recruited from four (2 public and 2 private) schools in the Ledzokuku/Krowor constituency using the stratified and systematic random sampling. A structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect their socio-demographic data. Participant’s dietary intakes, length of sunlight exposure and anthropometric measurement were also measured. Serum vitamin D levels were determined using an ELISA test kit. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20.0 was used to analyze the data obtained. Chi-square test was used to determine the association between the categorical variables while independent t-test was used to find the mean differences between the vitamin D status of the school groups and gender. Statistical significance was set as p<0.05. Results: There was significant association between dietary vitamin D intakes and serum vitamin D levels of the respondents (p = 0.008). School children had very low sunlight exposure. Thirty-three (33%) spent <15mins/day in the sun everyday and 36% exposed themselves to sunlight during the hours of 10am-12:59 pm. Majority (73%) of the school children exposed themselves to sunlight for more than 3 days. Almost half (49%) of the participants had deficient vitamin D levels with majority (75%) reporting from the public schools.There was no significant association between anthropometric measurement (BMI- for-age) and vitamin D status. Males were 1.35 times more likely to be vitamin D sufficient compared to females. Public school children were 0.07 times less likely to be vitamin D sufficient compared to their counterparts in private schools. Conclusion: Majority of the school children had low dietary intakes of vitamin D rich foods. Also, the school children had a low length of sunlight exposure. The results from this study shows relatively low levels of serum vitamin D in 8-12 year old Ghanaian school age children and this could be as a result of low dietary intakes of vitamin D and low sunlight exposure. More of the school children in the public schools had deficient levels of vitamin D, compared to the private school children. Furthermore, there was no observed association between serum vitamin D status and anthropometric measurement.
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    Marketing of Foods and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Children in the Accra Metropolitan District of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana
    (University of Ghana, 2017-11) Amegashie, E.K.
    Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are currently a major public health concern all over the world. A major risk factor for NCDs is obesity. Childhood obesity is a global health challenge with over 42 million children affected. One major factor that influences obesity in children is their diet. Marketing of foods affects the choice of foods children desire and demand from their parents. Food marketing occurs through multiple techniques including electronic media (e.g. internet, social media, television, radio, etc.), printed media, restaurants, and even through sponsorship of educational materials. To address the effects of such marketing influences, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a set of recommendations which seeks to provide guidance for regulation of unethical food marketing to children. The aim of this study was to identify and describe marketing of processed energy-dense foods targeting children in Ghana. The specific objectives were to describe the perceptions of parents about marketing of these foods to their children, the influence of food marketing on the children and the statutory, policy and regulatory framework existing in the country regarding food marketing to children. Methodology: The study was a cross-sectional study using mixed methods approach. Questionnaires were administered to parents of children aged 5 to 13years old. Systematic random sampling was done to identify the children. Document reviews were also performed of the Public Health Act of Ghana, revised guidelines for advertisements of the Food and Drugs Authority and the National Nutrition Policy. An interview was also conducted with an expert in child welfare from the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF). Quantitative data were analysed using frequencies and proportions, chi-square analysis and logistic regression models using Stata version 14. The information obtained from the interview was transcribed and analysed. Results: The study showed that parents are aware of the different techniques of food marketing to their children, such as the use of animated characters and famous personalities. Fifty-five percent of parents reported their children‟s eating preferences had changed due to exposure to food advertisements. The document review showed that the current policies, documents and guidelines existing in the country have no legal provisions for regulation of food marketing to children, in particular. The expert believed regulation of food marketing to children was the sole prerogative of government. Conclusion: Children are exposed to different techniques of food marketing on a daily basis. Food marketing has an influence on children‟s request patterns and eating preferences. The current regulatory framework in the country has no legal provisions for food marketing to children.
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    The Effects Of Rural-Urban Migration On Children Left-Behind By The Migrants: A Case Study Of Ningo -Prampram District In The Greater Accra Region
    (University of Ghana, 2013-07) Appiahning, S.
    This study was designed to investigate the effects of rural–urban migration on the migrant children left behind. A cross sectional study where data was collected using two structured questionnaires. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the study participants and these included eighty (80) children whose parents have migrated from the rural areas to the urban areas in Ghana and forty (40) Caregivers / relatives who attended to these children in the absence of their parents. Data on demographics, living arrangements, effects of migration on educational performance, psychological effects on children were collected from the children aged 15-17years. The findings of this study show that in the Ghanaian context the effects of parental migration on children whether desirable or undesirable depends on other socio- economic factors- pull and push. Majority (50%) of both parents have migrated. Few fathers (10%) and 40% of mothers have migrated separately to the urban centres. Majority (71.25%) of the children said the absence of their parents does not deteriorate their academic performance. The care takers/relatives said though the migrants left because of lack of employment opportunities in the rural areas, they (migrants) are unable to send enough remittances for the upkeep of the children while 20% of the migrants do not send remittances at all home. It also came out that the income of the migrants has improved from 15% to 85 %. From the findings of this study, it can be concluded that parental migration and the consequent parent-child separation do not necessarily affect the living arrangement, positioning and attendance of the children’s education adversely if the left-behind children are in the care of caregivers who provide them with the needed care and guidance. In view of this, the Ghanaian family values which encourage child care by all society and family members, and not just biological parents should be upheld and sustained. However, there is the need for care givers especially the educated ones to take the children education seriously by assisting them in their school assignments. Also, the care givers should monitor the children well by attitudes like high tempers, alcohol intake and decision making on their own which will help to know the challenges they face to support them early to avoid further problems.