RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PROPOSAL

(1) TITLE/LEADER/GENDER/AGENCY/ADDRESS/TELEPHONE/FAX/E-MAIL

Project Title: Assessment of Nutritional Status, Nutrient Adequacy and Diet Diversity
among College Students in Laguna as affected by Covid19 pandemic: Basis for Health
and Nutrition Program

Leader/Gender: ERICA B. TABUAC/ FEMALE

Agency/Address: College of Food Nutrition and Dietetics (CFND)/ LSPU – Los
Baños Campus
Telephone/Fax: (049) 501-2342 (Office)/ 0947-994-5321 (mobile)
Email: ericatabuac@lspu.edu.ph

(2) COOPERATING (3) RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT STATION:

AGENCIES:
LSPU -LB
CFND LSPU

(4) SITE OF IMPLEMENTATION/MUNICIPALITY/DISTRICT/PROVINCE/REGION:

CFND, LSPU Los Baños Campus

(5) CLASSIFICATION (6) MODE OF IMPLEMENTATION

Research: Development: _x__ Single Agency

__X__ Basic ____ Pilot Testing
____ Multi-Agency
____ Applied ____ Tech. Promo. /
Commercia.

(7) SECTOR/ COMMODITY (8) DISCIPLINE

Public Health Health and Nutrition

(9) SIGNIFICANCE

Multiple stressors were identified that contributed to the increased levels of stress, anxiety, and
depressive thoughts among students (Eysenbach G. et al, 2021).

It is significant that our daily food intake is adequate in supplying a variety of nutrients that serve
as requirements for many immune processes. Moreover, avoiding malnutrition must also be a
primary priority as these conditions impair the overall immune function of the body hence,
increasing the individual’s risk to acquire a disease or illness.

Macronutrients and micronutrients are equally important in maintaining a healthy body. The
micronutrients such as the vitamins and minerals that should be consumed both from plant and
animal sources.
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According to PAN 2021, micronutrients with immune functions such as vitamin A and zinc have
specific roles under the regulation of cell division, thus are essential in the escalated production
of specific cells in an activated immune response of the body.
Vitamin A, when broken down by the body, produces metabolites that maintain the levels of
natural killer cells of our body. Liver, egg yolk, whole milk, carrots, squash, and green leafy
vegetables are among the sources of Vitamin A (PAN, 2021).
Vitamin C supports numerous cell functions and defense mechanisms and can be found in citrus
fruits, mango, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, spinach,
cabbage, sweet and white potato, and tomatoes (PAN 2021).
Vitamin D stimulates the maturation of cells that are in the immune system. This vitamin can be
obtained from adequate sun exposure, beef, liver, eggs, milk, and sardines (PAN, 2021).
Vitamin E is a major lipid-soluble component in the body’s antioxidant defense system.
Examples of vitamin E food sources include vegetable oils such as corn oil, canola oil, soybean
oil, along with nuts, egg yolk, and seeds (PAN,2021).
Zinc holds a key role in the growth and maintenance of different cells that carry immune
functions. It can be found in oysters, mollusks, lean red meat, eggs, poultry, pork, dairy, whole
grain, and legumes (Childs, 1933; PAN 2021).

Good nutrition is a concern of every individual all the more the students who are experiencing a
different kind of school set-up environment complying with the demands of their studies and at
the same time their families as well in this time of pandemic, hence this proposal.

(9-A) PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

Nutritional status of the respondents will be measured through anthropometric measurements

(height and weight) while the BMI formula and WHO classification will also be utilized.
Food intake will be assessed using 24-hour food recall focusing on the adequacy of the nutrient
intake.
The result of the study will be used as basis for a wellness program at this time of pandemic
where different stressors distract the continuum of learning among College students.

(10) OBJECTIVES

The overall objective is to evaluate the food intake adequacy as compared to the
requirements of the participants and their nutritional status this Covid19 pandemic.
Specifically:
1) To measure the height and weight of the participants.
2) To compute for the nutritional status of the participants using BMI formula and
categorized them according to WHO classification.
3) To assess the 24-hour food recall of the participants using an e-survey form.
4) To compute for the adequacy of nutrients based on the gathered 24-hour food recall.

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(12) SCIENTIFIC BASIS/ THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

• THE NEED TO ASSESS THE NUTRITIONAL

STATUS AND DIET OF COLLEGE STUDENTS
ISSUES • to address malnutrition and food insecurity
and promote wellness among College
students

PROPOSED • Nutritional status and diet diversity and

SOLUTION AND adequacy of the diet of the participants
EXPECTED • To establish a health and nutrition program
OUTPUT among College Students

• This will be a part of the LSPU wellness

LONG TERM
IMPACT
program among College students
promoting good nutrition

Figure 1. Theoretical Framework of the Proposed Study.

(13) METHODOLOGY

To answer the objectives of this investigation, the following procedures will be conducted:

◦ 2-day food record (one weekday and one weekend) using e-form and online
interview
◦ Guided Measurement of weight and height (on-line)

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(14) MAJOR ACTIVITIES/WORK PLAN – See Form No. 2B-1 (January 2021)

TASK Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Preparation of the
documents (eforms,
consent)
Measurement of
Nutritional status and
2-day food record
(data gathering)
Data processing and
analysis
Presentation of
results

(15) EXPECTED OUTPUT

1. Publication papers
2. Information dissemination: Data for use in instructions
3. Basis for student’s program on health and nutrition

(16) TARGET BENEFICIARIES

Results that will be generated through this proposed basic research will provide information
to the participants and among college students to help in improving their health status and diet,
hence prevent them from contracting any illness/disease.

(17) PERSONNEL REQUIREMENT

Personnel Time allotment

1 Project leader
Members

REFERENCES:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7473764/

Childs, C.E., Calder, P.C., and Miles, E.A. (2019). Diet and Immune Function. Nutrients, 11(8), 1933.
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081933
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Department of Science and Technology Food and Nutrition Research Institute. (2015). PDRI 2015. FNRI-
DOST.
Nutrition and Immunity. (2021). https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/.../nutrition-and-immunity/...