Impact of Health Challenges on the Nutritional Habits of Elderly Individuals in Rural and Urban Household: A Case Study of Badagry L.G.A, Lagos State

The research examined how health issues affect the eating habits of older adults in both rural and urban households, focusing on Badagry L.G.A in Lagos State. Four research questions were formulated to guide the study, along with one hypothesis that was tested at a significance level of 0.05. A correlational ex-post facto research design was employed for this investigation. According to the 2006 census, Badagry L.G.A had a population of 241,093. The study used a descriptive survey design with 100 participants. A stratified random sampling method, including simple random sampling, was applied to select the sample for this research. Data was gathered through a questionnaire titled "Influence of Health Challenges on Nutritional Lifestyle of the Elderly in Rural and Urban Households of Badagry L.G.A, Lagos State (IHCNLERUH)." The validity of the instruments was assessed for face, content, and construct. The reliability of the instruments was also checked, yielding an internal consistency reliability coefficient of 0.96. The collected data were analyzed using basic correlation and regression at a significance level of 0.05. Frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were utilized to address the research questions, while Pearson coefficient correlation was employed to test the hypothesis. The findings indicated that the eating habits of older adults significantly influence their healthy lifestyle. Health challenges have a notable impact on the nutritional lifestyle of the elderly in both rural and urban settings. High alcohol consumption adversely affects the nutritional status of older individuals. Various factors hinder the nutritional lifestyle and health behaviors of the elderly in these areas. The study suggested that the government and other stakeholders should regularly monitor the health of older adults to identify those at risk, enabling timely interventions, and establish a social security system to support the income and welfare of the elderly people in the study area