The relationship between nutritional status and intellectual ability of primary school children in southern cross river state–nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the nutritional status and intellectual ability of primary six (6) pupils in Southern Cross River State-Nigeria. The ex post facto research design was used in carrying out the study. The sample size consisted of five hundred and seventy nine (579) public primary schools in Southern Cross River State using stratified random sampling technique. The instrument used for this study was an intelligence test consisting of 29 items divided into four sections A-D.  Pearson’s product moment correlation co-efficient was used in analyzing the result. The correlation coefficient value between them is 0.809. It is therefore recommended that primary school proprietors, administrators, even parents and government should put machinery in place to provide quality food to maintain good nutritional status of their pupils to enhance good intellectual abilities. Key word:  Nutritional Status, Intellectual status, primary school.