ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Nutritional Quality of Crops and Surface Water Quality of Selected Communities in Ghana

Like any other country, Ghana is working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, part of which is targeted at ending hunger and ensuring clean water by 2030. In line with these, this study investigated what people eat at the household level, assessed the micronutrient concentrations in three varieties of maize, four varieties of plantain, two varieties of cassava and some fruits and vegetables eaten by Ghanaians. The study also investigated the relationship between micronutrient concentration in the soil and the crop. Additionally, the micronutrient content in some surface water bodies and the microbial loads in those water bodies were assessed. A household survey covering 3521 households was conducted in all ten regions of Ghana. Laboratory analyses were conducted to identify the micronutrient concentrations in the food crops and water from different water bodies. Moreover, the microbial loads of the different water bodies were analysed. Findings from this study showed that respondents eat vegetables, fruits, animal products and maize on daily bases, and cassava and plantain on weekly bases.

Source: UCC
Nutritional Quality of Crops and Surface Water Quality of Selected Communities in Ghana

Like any other country, Ghana is working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, part of which is targeted at ending hunger and ensuring clean water by 2030. In line with these, this study investigated what people eat at the household level, assessed the micronutrient concentrations in three varieties of maize, four varieties of plantain, two varieties of cassava and some fruits and vegetables eaten by Ghanaians. The study also investigated the relationship between micronutrient concentration in the soil and the crop. Additionally, the micronutrient content in some surface water bodies and the microbial loads in those water bodies were assessed. A household survey covering 3521 households was conducted in all ten regions of Ghana. Laboratory analyses were conducted to identify the micronutrient concentrations in the food crops and water from different water bodies. Moreover, the microbial loads of the different water bodies were analyzed. Findings from this study showed that respondents eat vegetables, fruits, animal products and maize on daily bases, and cassava and plantain on weekly bases. The region in which respondents live influence their consumption of vegetables (χ2 (45, 3521) = 2.7 × 103, P < 0.001; Cramér‘s V = 0.3887), fruits (χ2 (45, 3521) = 2.5 × 103; P < 0.001; Cramér's V = 0.3779), animal products (χ2 (27, 3521) = 966.38, P < 0.001; Cramér's V = 0.3025), cassava products (χ2 (45, 3521) = 1.7 × 103, P < 0.001; Cramér's V = 0.3125), plantain (χ2 (45, 3521) = 2.8 × 103, P < 0.001; Cramér's V = 0.3996) and maize (χ2 (36, 3521) = 1.4 × 103, P < 0.001; Cramér's V = 0.3099). It was observed that 66% of respondents depended on pipe borne water for drinking. This study also revealed that within the same species of crop, the micronutrient concentration varied among varieties. The soil also influenced the micronutrients in the crop. The pH of the soil influenced the amount of micronutrients in the crops investigated. The anthropogenic activities along the water bodies studied affected the purity of their water. Findings of this study suggest that females are very influential in determining the food eaten at the household but the expenditure on food is mostly borne by men. Education, ecological location, and community setting have influence of the food and water consumed at the household. There is therefore the need for people to diversify their food in order to obtain all the required micronutrient needed for the proper functioning of the body. Measures should be put in place to protect all surface water bodies since they are the main source of water supply as well as replenishing underground water.

Source: UCC
Nutritional Quality of the Mangrove Oyster, Crassostrea Tulipa, in Ghana and Hydrographic Conditions of Their Habitats

ABSTRACT Seafood contributes significantly to food security. The present study sought to provide information on the size, meat yield, proximate nutritional composition, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids and some antioxidant properties of C. tulipa (oyster) from three water bodies in the Greater Accra, Central and Western regions of Ghana. To maximize yield and maintain good physiological conditions of the oysters, spatiotemporal variations as well as effects of environmental conditions on the meat yield, proximate, minerals and amino acid composition of the oysters were also investigated. Oysters from “Densu” estuary were the biggest in size while those from “Narkwa” lagoon were the smallest. The nutritional quality assessment qualifies C. tulipa as a highly nutritious and a potential functional food. There were no significant differences in the proximate and amino acid contents of C. tulipa from the three water bodies (P > 0.05). C. tulipa from “Whin” estuary had significantly higher Fe and Zn contents, whereas those from Narkwa lagoon had significantly higher Ca and Na contents (P < 0.05). The proximate, mineral and amino acid compositions of C. tulipa from the various water bodies varied significantly during the months of study (P < 0.05). C. tulipa had higher concentrations of essential amino acids and had no limiting amino acids. Mineral concentrations of the oysters were all within recommended limits. Environmental factors, including temperature, pH, chlorophyll-a, precipitation and salinity, had significant effects on the meat yield, moisture, ash, sodium, zinc, iron and amino acid contents of C. tulipa. C. tulipa contained phenolic compounds and showed antioxidant properties. C. tulipa oil contained high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (EPA and DHA).

Source: UCC
Nutritional Quality, Functional Properties and Sensory Acceptability of an Orange - fleshed Sweet Potato - based Complementary Food

The study focuses on the development of a complementary food (CF) with the orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) to help address the public health problem of vitamin A deficiency among infants. Experimental research design was used for the study. Fifty six infants aged between 6 and 24 months were purposively sampled, together with their mothers, to evaluate three complementary food (CF) products and a control, code-named GAD, PEA, SAB and KAN respectively. The CF products were formulated from orange fleshed sweet potato, anchovies, onion and tomatoes; and the nutrients and functional properties were determined. A questionnaire and an interview guide were used to collect data to assess the sensory attributes and overall acceptability of the formulated CF products. The results showed that the three complementary foods were nutrient dense, with the moisture content being highest in PEA and lowest in GAD. GAD, PEA and SAB were all high in protein and fibre but low in fat and carbohydrate. KAN (control) was the most acceptable with respect to all the sensory attributes of a complementary food, although its overall acceptability was not significantly different from that of the other three CF products - GAD, PEA and SAB.

Source: UCC
Nutritional Status and Health Seeking Behaviour of Pregnant Women in Awutu Senya West District of Ghana

This research set out to achieve three objectives: (a) assess the knowledge of pregnant women in the Awutu Senya West District in maternal nutrition, (b) determine the nutritional status of pregnant women in the Awutu Senya West District, and (c) assess health seeking behaviours of pregnant women the Awutu Senya West District. Using a descriptive research design, the study gathered data from 86 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics, representing a sample size determined using Krejcie and Morgan's sample size determination table. Questionnaires adapted from previous research were used for data collection, and the instruments were pilot-tested on the participants. The responses were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS. From the analysis, the key findings were that while most respondents had a good understanding of maternal nutrition, including balanced diets and nutrient requirements, there were areas for improvement. Additionally, anthropometric assessments revealed a concerning trend of overweight pregnancies, with a mean maternal BMI in the overweight category. Finally, clinical assessments revealed symptoms like lack of appetite, weakness, abnormal vitals, and breathing difficulties, emphasizing the need for comprehensive prenatal care. Based on the findings, the study recommends continued nutrition education and awareness campaigns for pregnant women to enable informed choices regarding their diet and overall health during pregnancy. These findings have implications for planning interventions aimed at optimising the nutritional status of pregnant women and promoting the health of both mother and baby.

Source: UCC
Nutritional Status of Illegal Drug Users in Greater Accra

Illegal drugs continue to be used in Ghana particularly in the urban centres such as Greater Accra. Illegal drug use can negatively affect health behaviour, body composition and metabolism. This thesis assessed the socio-ecological influences that shape illegal drug use initiation, continuation and termination and the associated nutritional health in Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Snowball sampling was used to recruit 141 respondents (123 males and 18 females). Data on background characteristics, personal, interpersonal, societal and institutional influences on illegal drug use habits were collected using semi-structured questionnaire. Body composition and blood was collected on each respondent using standard procedure. Descriptive statistics were presented for background characteristics, frequency of illegal drug use and socioecological influences on illegal drug use habits. Predictors of illegal drug use was determined using Logistic and Poisson regressions. Results indicated that hallucinogen was the main drug used. The likelihood of using illegal drugs was found to be associated with age and marital status. Personal and societal factors were associated with illegal drug use continuation, interpersonal and societal factors were associated with initiation of drug use, societal and institutional factors were associated with illegal drug use termination. There were differences in the biochemical and enzymatic characteristics observed between male and female illegal drug users who used the same illegal drugs at the same frequency. Tailored advocacy, as part of illegal drug use control-policy, and establishment of treatment and rehabilitation may help mitigate illegal drug use.

Source: UCC
Nutritional value of Turkey Berry

The study determined the amount of selected nutrients in the fruits of Turkey berry(Solanum torvum sw.) and any significant difference(s) heathad on nutrient content. Samples of Turkey berries were bought from the market, cleaned, ground (raw, boiled or roasted) and tested. Results were then analysed using means, percentages and ANOVA. A survey was also conducted to ascertain the level of consumption and knowledge froma sample of pregnant women inCape Coast Metropolis. Proximate analysis of the Turkey berries showed high levels of minerals such as potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium but low levels of major nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats and protein. However,the percentages Daily Value of most nutrients were high with the exception of carbohydrate (3.86%). Boiling caused a significant decrease in most of the nutrients in the Turkey berries(potassium and iron decreased from 1673.67mg to 1527.87mg and 18.30 to 17.07mg subsequently) with the exception of Fibre (p=.06). From the survey, it was ascertained that 90% of pregnant women in the Cape Coast Metropolis consumeTurkey berries. However between 65% and 84% of the respondents reported have little knowledge on the nutritional value of Turkey berries.A conclusion was drawn that Turkey berries is nutritious. It was also concluded that boiling affects the nutritional value of Turkey berry. Therefore it was recommended that 100g or more may be consumed daily and if possible in the raw state. Pregnant women should increase their consumption of Turkey berry in the right way to enable them meet their extra iron requirement

Source: UCC
Obesity and hypertension among market men and women in the Tamale metropolis

Obesity and hypertension are emerging problems in the Tamale metropolis in the northern region of Ghana. This study investigated the prevalence of obesity and hypertension among market men and women in the Tamale Metropolis. This is from a viewpoint of the market place, being an occu-pational environment that predisposes individual to obesity, mainly due to sedentary living and enhanced access to all sorts of food. A total of 220 market men and women were contacted. 15 indi-viduals refused to take part in the study and 5 returned incomplete questionnaires, leaving 200 complete and evaluable respondents comprising 100 men and 100 women. The study population was selected randomly from four major markets (Lamashegu market, Aboabo market, Tamale cen-tral market and Kukuo market) in the city. Obesity was measured using the various anthropometric parameters (BMI, WHR, WC and %BF) and blood pressure was measured. The prevalence of hy-pertension was 3% while the prevalence of obesity was 25.0%, 35.5%, 30.0% and 52.5% using BMI, WHR, WC and %BF respectively among the entire study population. Among the men, 27.0%, 8.0%, 8.0% and 37.0% were obese using BMI, WHR, WC and %BF respectively; whilst the women rec-orded 23.0%, 63.0%, 52.0% and 68.0% as the prevalence of obesity using BMI, WHR, WC and %BF respectively. Among the men, 5.0% were hypertensive while 1.0% of women had hypertension. Prevalence of obesity and Blood pressure values increased with increase in age. The prevalence of obesity is a common phenomenon among the market men and women in the metropolis. Irrespec-tive of the criteria used, obesity is more common among the market women. The prevalence of obesity from this study is age dependent; it also depends on educational level as well as marital status. The prevalence of hypertension on the other hand is low and it is common among the men as compared to the women and also increased with age. Education on hypertension and obesity should be prioritized among the market men and women as a greater proportion of our study pop-ulation who were obese were found to be illiterates.

Source: UCC
Obesity may provide pro-ilc3 development inflammatory environment in asthmatic Children

The prevalence of obesity in children has dramatically increased in the last few decades, and obesity has also emerged as an important risk factor for asthma. Innate mechanisms have been shown to be involved in both diseases, particularly through the recently described innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), in which ILC3s have been linked to obesity both in human and in murine models. The aim of this study was to explore whether being overweight in asthmatic children was associated with elevated circulating ILC3 or elevated messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of RORC, IL-17A, and IL-22. Our results showed significantly elevated ILC3 frequencies in overweight asthmatic children compared with non over weight controls based on the detection of Lin CD127 IL-23R + cells by flow cytometry. Moreover, elevated ILC3 frequencies positively correlated with the mRNA expression of RORC which has been identifed as a transcription factor of ILC3s. The relative mRNA expression level of IL-17A was also upregulated in overweight compared to non-overweight children, as was the relative mRNA level of IL-22. However, there were no correlations between ILC3 frequencies or the expressions of RORC, IL-17A, and IL-22 and asthma severity. These results suggested that childhood obesity is an independent factor that is associated with an elevated frequency of circulating ILC3s and higher expressions of RORC, IL-22, and IL-17A

Source: UCC
Observations on the benthic macroinvertebrate and fish communities of the Kakum Estuary Wetland in Ghana

The environmental conditions, composition of benthic macrofauna, and richness, diversity, as well as food habits and aspects of reproductive biology of fish species in the Kakum Estuary wetland (located 2 km west of Cape Coast, Ghana) were studied from July 2009 to February 2010 in an effort to broaden our knowledge of the biodiversity and ecological value of wetland ecosystems. Sampling was conducted on five pools in the wetland. Oligochaeta and Diptera (chironomid larvae) were the only benthic organisms present, presumably because of the ephemeral nature of the environment. During the dry season, the organisms declined significantly in abundance and densities and later disappeared, possibly due to the continuously increasing salinity which rendered the environment stressful to the organisms. Twelve families of eighteen genera comprising eighteen fish species were collected, of which Aplocheilichthys spilauchen(43.31%), Sarotherodon melanotheron(18.12%) and the freshwater shrimp Macrobrachium macrobrachion(12.37%) were dominant. Resultssuggested that marine and freshwater fishes use the wetland asnursery and feeding grounds. The fish communities included planktivorous, carnivorous and omnivorous ones. Kribia kribensisand Porogobius schlegeliihad high fecundities suggesting that they provide little or no parental care while S. melanotheronand A. spilauchenhad low fecundity which were attributable to their adaptations for ensuring survival of their spawn. Some recommendations have been made including restriction on fishing during the wet season to avoid exploitation of juvenile fishes.

Source: UCC
Observations on the Bottom-Set Gillnet Fishery and Fishery Biology of Selected Species at Three Locations off the Central Region Coast of Ghana

Studies were conducted at three coastal stations in the Central Region of Ghana, namely Apam, Egyaa and Cape Coast from February 2017 to July 2018 to assess the characteristics of the bottom-set gillnet fishery, the biology and exploitation of some species of economic importance. Canoe sizes were mainly 7 to 10 m long and mesh sizes were dominated by 7.9 and 8.9 cm. Mean catch per unit effort was 44.59±23.40 kg/day at Apam, 57.97±46.69 kg/day at Egyaa and 36.93±24.55 kg/day at Cape Coast. Landings were dominated by the spotted box crab Calappa rubroguttata (Calappidae) at Apam and Egyaa, and by the cassava croaker Pseudotolithus senegalensis (Sciaenidae) at Cape Coast. By-catches were mostly corals and crustaceans at Apam and Egyaa and crustaceans at Cape Coast. The asymptotic lengths of C. rubroguttata, P. senegalensis and Cynoglossus senegalensis (Senegalese tonguesole) were 13.13 cm carapace width, 48.83 cm and 60.38 cm total length respectively but were being landed at 7.4 cm carapace width, 27.8 cm and 39.4 cm total length respectively. Mortality in C. rubroguttata was largely due to fishing activities and the stock was being exploited above the optimum level. With stocks being exploited below optimal levels, mortality in P. senegalensis and C. senegalensis was mainly due to natural causes. The operations of the fishery negatively impacted on the marine ecosystem and artisanal fisheries in Ghana. Enforcement of the regulation on the use of monofilament gillnet in the marine waters of Ghana was recommended to minimize its negative ecological impacts. Recommendation was as well made for regular studies on gear specific fisheries to provide and update information critical for their management.

Source: UCC
Observations on the growth and survival of oreochromis niloticus (L) on formulated feeds

Five feeds, designated A, B, C, D and E, were used in the culture of Oreochromis niloticus (L) to evaluate and compare their effects on growth performance, feed conversion ratio (FCR), fish production, survival rate and profitability in commercial tilapia farming in Ghana. Feed A contained only wheat bran and was used as the control; Feed B was formulated from wheat bran, fishmeal, maize, palm oil and premix vitamins; Feed C contained wheat bran, soybean cake, maize, palm oil and premix vitamins; Feed D was a commercial fish feed from Ghana Agro-Food Processing Company (GAFCO); Feed E was formulated from wheat bran, fishmeal, soybean cake, maize, palm oil and premix vitamins. The study was conducted in fifteen 6-m3 hapas mounted in a 2,000 m2 earthen pond. Each hapa was stocked with thirty tilapia fingerlings of an average weight of 40 g and were fed on the various experimental feeds (in triplicates) for 168 days. Fish fed Feed E had significantly (P < 0.5) higher final weight (267.2 ± 2.12 g), feed conversion ratio (2.46 ± 0.08), survival rate (93.3 ± 1.93 %), absolute growth rate (1.32 ± 0.02 g/day), specific growth rate (1.06 ± 0.04 %) and production (6.26 ± 0.37 kg) than any of those given Feeds A (control), B, C and D. The final weights of fishes given Feeds B and D were not significantly (P < 0.5) different from each other but were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the weight of fishes fed on the control feed and Feed C. Low feed conversion ratio obtained for fishes fed Feed E and low cost of Feed E resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) higher profit (GH¢ 14.78) than any of the fishes fed on Feeds A, B, C and D. Due to the high cost of Feed D, profits accrued from the sale of fish fed Feed D were lower than those accrued from the sale of fish fed Feed A. It was concluded that Feed E induced superior growth performance, was converted more efficiently into fish flesh, induced high production, exhibited good floating ability and was therefore, more economical for commercial tilapia farming in Ghana.

Source: UCC
Obstacles to female participation in education at basic level: A case study of Wasa Amenfi district in the Western region of Ghana

The purpose of the study was to find out the main causes that accounted for the low participation and retention of the girl-child at the basic level of education in the Wasa Amenfi District of the Western Region of Ghana. The study period covered September 1997 to August 2004. The descriptive survey design was adopted. Samples were drawn from five (5) circuits out of the 13 circuits of the Wasa Amenli District. Respondents were made up of 476 parents/guardians, 150 teachers/circuit officers and 500 female pupils at the basic level. Data for the study were obtained through questionnaire and interview schedules. Statistical data was also obtained from both the Wasa Amenfi District and the Western Region Education Offices. The data collected were organised into tables, frequencies and percentages which were the main statistical techniques used to analyse and interpret the data. ,foverty accounted for parents’ inability to enroll and maintain girls in school. The high poverty level probably also accounted for poor parental care leading to truancy and teenage pregnancy resulting in the girl-child dropping out of school. Preference for sending boys rather than girls to school, and distance covered by girls to school similarly left girls out of school, Similarly, single parenthood accounted for truancy of girls that finally led to her drop out of school. Furthermore, the absence of female teachers was found to be a disincentive to girl retention in school.

Source: UCC