Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v3 - Primary 5
Nutrition
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Nutrition
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Subject: Physical & Health Education
Class: Primary 5
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 10
Theme: Health Education
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mention sources of food nutrients list three nutritional diseases describe the characteristics of nutritional deficient persons describe the effect of family size on nutrition
A. Nutrition Defined: Nutrition is the process by which living organisms obtain and use food for growth, metabolism, and repair. It involves the intake of food, its digestion, absorption, assimilation, and excretion. Proper nutrition is essential for maintaining good health, energy levels, physical growth, and mental development.
B. Sources of Food Nutrients: Food is broadly categorized into six classes of nutrients, each with specific functions. Teachers should explain these with common Nigerian food examples:
1. Carbohydrates (Energy-Giving Foods): Function: Primary source of energy for the body's activities, including thinking, playing, and learning.
Sources (Nigerian examples): Yam, cassava (garri, fufu), rice, maize (pap, masa), plantain, sweet potato, bread, millet, sorghum.
2. Proteins (Body-Building/Repairing Foods): Function: Essential for growth, repair of worn-out tissues, building muscles, and producing enzymes and hormones.
Sources (Nigerian examples): Beans, groundnut, soya beans, meat (beef, goat meat, chicken), fish (tilapia, catfish, dry fish), eggs, milk, local cheese (wara).
3. Fats and Oils (Energy and Protection Foods): Function: Provide concentrated energy, help absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), protect organs, and keep the body warm.
Sources (Nigerian examples): Palm oil, groundnut oil, coconut oil, shea butter, avocado, groundnuts, egusi (melon seeds), walnuts.
4. Vitamins (Protective Foods): Function: Regulate various body processes, boost immunity, and protect against diseases. Required in small amounts.
Sources (Nigerian examples): Vitamin A: Carrots, palm oil, sweet potatoes, dark green leafy vegetables (ugu, spinach), eggs, liver. (Good for eyesight).
Vitamin B Complex: Whole grains, beans, meat, eggs, green leafy vegetables. (For energy metabolism).
Vitamin C: Oranges, guava, mango, pineapple, tomatoes, garden eggs, pepper. (Boosts immunity, aids wound healing).
Vitamin D: Sunlight exposure, fatty fish, fortified milk. (For strong bones).
Vitamin E: Vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables. (Antioxidant).
Vitamin K: Green leafy vegetables. (For blood clotting).
5. Minerals (Protective and Body-Building Foods): Function: Essential for bone formation, blood production, nerve function, and overall body regulation.
Sources (Nigerian examples): Calcium: Milk, cheese, green leafy vegetables (e.g., ugwu), fish with bones. (For strong bones and teeth).
Iron: Red meat, liver, beans, dark green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals. (For healthy blood, preventing anaemia).
Iodine: Iodized salt, seafood. (For thyroid function).
Zinc: Meat, beans, nuts. (For immunity and growth).
6. Water: Function: Makes up a large percentage of body weight, transports nutrients, regulates body temperature, lubricates joints, and aids in waste removal.
Sources: Drinking water, fruits, vegetables, soups.
C. Nutritional Deficiency Diseases: These are illnesses caused by a lack of specific nutrients in the diet over a prolonged period. Teachers should focus on three common ones in Nigeria:
1. Kwashiorkor: Cause: Severe protein deficiency, often combined with insufficient calories.
Characteristics: Swollen belly (oedema) due to fluid retention. Discoloured, sparse, or brittle hair (often reddish or yellowish). Stunted growth and muscle wasting. Skin lesions (peeling skin). Apathy, irritability, and general weakness. Fatigue and loss of appetite.
Nigerian Context: Often seen in children who are weaned too early onto carbohydrate-rich but protein-poor diets (e.g., pap without milk or fish).
2. Marasmus: Cause: Severe overall deficiency of calories and protein. A state of starvation.
Characteristics: Extreme thinness ("skin and bones" appearance). Severe muscle wasting, visible ribs. "Old man's face" (sunken eyes, wrinkled skin). Stunted growth. Constant hunger. Weakness and lethargy.
Nigerian Context: Common in infants and young children in impoverished areas where food is simply insufficient.
3. Night Blindness (Xerophthalmia): Cause: Deficiency of Vitamin
A. Characteristics: Difficulty seeing in dim light or at night. Dryness of the eyes. In severe cases, can lead to permanent blindness.
Nigerian Context: Prevalent in areas where consumption of Vitamin A-rich foods (palm oil, carrots, green leafy vegetables, liver) is low, especially among children.
4. Anaemia: Cause: Deficiency of iron, leading to insufficient red blood cells. Can also be caused by lack of Vitamin B12 or folate.
Characteristics: Paleness of skin, inner eyelids, and nails. Weakness, fatigue, and lack of energy. Dizziness and shortness of breath. Reduced dim light or at night. Dryness of the eyes. In severe cases, can lead to permanent blindness.
Nigerian Context: Prevalent in areas where consumption of Vitamin A-rich foods (palm oil, carrots, green leafy vegetables, liver) is low, especially among children.
4. Anaemia: Cause: Deficiency of iron, leading to insufficient red blood cells. Can also be caused by lack of Vitamin B12 or folate.
Characteristics: Paleness of skin, inner eyelids, and nails. Weakness, fatigue, and lack of energy. Dizziness and shortness of breath. Reduced concentration.
Nigerian Context: Common among women (especially pregnant women) and children, often due to poor iron intake or parasitic infections (like malaria and hookworm).
D. Characteristics of Nutritionally Deficient Persons: Beyond specific disease symptoms, a person suffering from inadequate nutrition generally exhibits: Stunted growth: Shorter than average for their age.
Underweight: Significantly below healthy weight for their age and height.
Weakness and fatigue: Lacking energy for daily activities and learning.
Frequent illness: A weakened immune system makes them susceptible to infections.
Poor concentration/learning difficulties: Lack of essential nutrients affects brain development and function. Changes in skin, hair, and nails: Dry skin, brittle hair, pale nails, rashes.
Swelling (oedema): Especially in the face, hands, and feet (e.g., Kwashiorkor).
Visible bones: Ribs, shoulder blades protruding (e.g., Marasmus).
E. Effect of Family Size on Nutrition: In many Nigerian households, especially those with limited income and resources, a larger family size often correlates with poorer nutritional outcomes for individual family members.
Limited Food Availability per Person: When a family has many children and a fixed budget for food, the amount of food available for each person significantly decreases. This can lead to smaller portions and less frequent meals.
Financial Strain: A large family places a greater financial burden on parents, making it difficult to afford a variety of nutritious foods (e.g., protein sources like meat, fish, or eggs, and fresh fruits/vegetables) which are often more expensive. Families may resort to cheaper, less nutritious, carbohydrate-heavy foods.
Unequal Food Distribution: In situations of scarcity, older or stronger family members might consume more, leaving younger children or more vulnerable members with insufficient food.
Parental Time and Capacity: In larger families, parents may have less time to prepare nutritious meals for each child individually, or to supervise their eating habits, leading to rushed or poorly prepared meals.
Increased Risk of Malnutrition: All the above factors combine to significantly increase the risk of malnutrition (Kwashiorkor, Marasmus, Anaemia, etc.) among children in large, resource-poor families. Children are particularly vulnerable due to their higher nutrient requirements for growth.
Hygiene and Sanitation: Overcrowding, often associated with large families in limited spaces, can also lead to poor hygiene and increased spread of infections, which further compromise nutritional status by affecting nutrient absorption.
Introduction (5 minutes): Teacher Activity: Begin by reviewing the previous lesson's key points, perhaps on the importance of food generally. Ask students to name some of their favourite Nigerian foods. Prompt them to think about what these foods do for their bodies.
Student Activity: Students share their favourite Nigerian foods and briefly state what they think those foods do for them (e.g., "Rice gives me energy," "Beans make me strong").
Lesson Development - Activity 1: Exploring Food Nutrients (15 minutes)
Teacher Activity: Introduce the term "Nutrition" and explain its importance. Display charts/posters showing the six classes of food nutrients (Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats & Oils, Vitamins, Minerals, Water). For each nutrient class, provide clear, simple explanations of its function and mention 2-3 common Nigerian food sources. Use real food items or pictures if available (e.g., a tuber of yam, groundnuts, a fish, an orange). Guide students to categorize various Nigerian foods into their respective nutrient classes.
Student Activity: Observe the charts/food items. Participate by naming additional Nigerian foods for each nutrient class. Engage in a quick sorting activity (e.g., teacher holds up a picture of "beans," students shout "protein!").
Lesson Development - Activity 2: Understanding Nutritional Diseases and Characteristics (15 minutes)
Teacher Activity: Introduce "Nutritional Deficiency Diseases." Describe Kwashiorkor, Marasmus, and Night Blindness (or Anaemia) in simple terms, explaining their causes (lack of specific nutrients) and distinctive characteristics. Use pictures or simple drawings to illustrate the typical appearance of a child with Kwashiorkor (swollen belly) and Marasmus (extremely thin). Discuss how a general nutritionally deficient person might look or feel (e.g., tired, pale, small for their age).
Student Activity: Listen attentively and ask questions about the diseases. Identify and describe the characteristics shown in the pictures. Reflect on any real-life observations they might have made (e.g., seeing a very thin child in their community) and link it to potential nutritional issues, guided by the teacher.
Lesson Development - Activity 3: Family Size and Nutrition (10 minutes)
Teacher Activity: Initiate a discussion about family size. Ask students (gently and sensitively) if they know families with many children and if they think this affects how much food each child gets. Explain clearly how a large family, especially with limited income, can lead to less food per person, financial strain for parents, and an increased risk of malnutrition for children.
Use a simple scenario: "Imagine a small plate of rice to be shared among 3 children versus 7 children. Who gets more?" Student Activity: Participate in the discussion, sharing their thoughts respectfully. Listen to the scenario and explain their understanding of the impact of sharing limited food among many people. Suggest simple ways families can try to eat well even with challenges (e.g., growing some food).
Conclusion (5 minutes): Teacher Activity: Summarize the key points of the lesson: the importance of balanced nutrition, identifying nutrient sources, recognizing nutritional deficiencies, and understanding the impact of family size. Encourage students to eat healthy and to share their knowledge with their families.
Student Activity: Briefly recap one or two key things they learned. The teacher should guide students through these questions, providing immediate feedback and explanations.
Question: Name two common Nigerian foods that are good sources of proteins and explain why proteins are important for our bodies.
Solution: Two protein-rich Nigerian foods are beans and fish. Proteins are important because they help our bodies grow, repair worn-out tissues, and build strong muscles.
Commentary: This checks understanding of protein sources and function, using familiar examples.
Question: A child in your community always looks very thin, like "skin and bones," and has an "old man's face." Which nutritional disease might this child be suffering from, and what kind of nutrient is severely lacking?
Solution: The child might be suffering from Marasmus. This disease is caused by a severe lack of both calories (energy) and proteins in the diet.
Commentary: This assesses the ability to identify a nutritional disease from characteristics and link it to the nutrient deficiency.
Question: You observe a small child with a swollen belly and reddish hair, who seems very weak and sad. What might be wrong with this child, and what nutrient is most likely missing from their diet?
Solution: The child is likely suffering from Kwashiorkor. This indicates a severe lack of protein in their diet.
Commentary: Similar to question 2, this tests recognition of characteristics for a different specific disease and nutrient.
Question: Imagine a family living in a village with limited income. If this family has 8 children, how might their large family size affect the children's ability to get enough nutritious food? Give two reasons.
Solution: Limited food per child: With many children, the available food budget has to be stretched, meaning each child gets smaller portions or less frequent meals.
Financial strain: The parents might struggle to afford expensive protein sources (like meat or fish) and fresh fruits/vegetables for all 8 children, leading to a diet that is heavy on cheap carbohydrates but lacking other essential nutrients.
Commentary: This question probes the understanding of the socio-economic impact of family size on nutrition within a Nigerian context.
Community Health Awareness: Teachers can encourage students to share their knowledge with their families and community members, especially younger siblings or neighbours. Understanding the signs of malnutrition (e.g., swollen belly, extreme thinness) can lead to early identification and seeking help, thereby improving child health outcomes in local Nigerian communities. This integrates with community health education.
Family Food Planning and Budgeting: The lesson on family size and nutrition can prompt discussions at home about how families can make the most of their food budget. Students can learn to appreciate the efforts parents make to provide food and potentially suggest including affordable, local nutritious foods (e.g., beans, local vegetables like "ugu," groundnuts) in meals. This ties into home economics and responsible family management.
Personal Dietary Choices: Students can apply their knowledge daily by consciously choosing more balanced meals. For example, instead of only eating carbohydrate-rich snacks, they might opt for fruits (Vitamin C) or groundnuts (protein/fat) to ensure a more complete diet. This empowers them to take responsibility for their own health and well-being, fostering a practical approach to healthy living within their Nigerian context.