FOOD CONSUMPTION, ITS CHEMISTRY AND THE EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATION ON MENTAL HEALTH AMONG CANADIANS OF AFRICAN DESCENTS RESIDENT IN MANITOBA CANADA. 

BY:

ALADEGBOLA  Adebusayo Gabriel (Ph.D, LL.B) 

2-770, STANLEY AVENUE,WINKLER MANITOBA ; R6W 0M2 CANADA
 			       P: 1 204 362 3111;  E mail: academic2017@yahoo.com

This study is concerned with exploring the view of food experts about the chemical substances involved in some of the common consumable food items that are preferred by the Canadians of African descents resident in Manitoba Canada.. The study is also concerned with finding out the science that deals with the composition, structure and properties of substances of the changes these food types undergo. The study focused on the entire chemical composition in the food group that is seemingly more popular in demand among the Canadians, particularly those at the active developmental stages of late childhood and full adolescence. Food Scientists, Medical personnel and experts in the areas of Mental Health and Brain Development in Manitoba were consulted for the purpose of this research work. Using simple random sampling technique, 71 respondents were selected to constitute the sample size for the study.  The entire Canadians of African descents all over North America constituted the population of the study. A self designed instrument titled 'Food and Mental Health (FMH)’ was used in gathering data for the study. The face and content validity of the instrument were ascertained by giving the self designed 20 item structured questionnaire to a test expert in the Faculty of graduate studies of University of Manitoba for possible correction.. Few of the items were reconstructed. The Reliability of the instrument was ensured at r = 0.92 using Cronbach’s Alpha Formula. Two research questions were raised and answered in the study to correspond the two null hypotheses stated and tested in the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were adopted in analyzing the data collected. Findings from the study revealed that the Food and Health experts had a positive perception towards the popular food type and its components among the Canadians. The test of Hypotheses revealed that demographic factors like gender and level of education did not have any significant influence on the perception of the respondents towards the relationship between food consumption and the efficiency of mental health.  Recommendations were made accordingly.

Keywords:  Food Chemistry; African descents;  Mental Health.