SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

COLLAGE OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN NUTRITION AND CONSUMER SCIENCES

SPECIAL PROJECT PROPASAL

RESEARCH TITTLE: ENERGY EXPENDITURE PATTERN OF UNIVERSITY

STUDENTS AND WORKERS AT SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE( SUA)
IN MOROGORO MUNICIPALITY

NAME: ADOLF, FRANK BRIKONYA

REGISTRATION NUMBER: HNU/D/2020/0130

SPECIAL PROJECT SUPPERVISOR: PROF JOYCE KINABO

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background information

Energy expenditures defines as amount of energy of an individual use to maintains an essential

body functions circulation, respiration, digestion and as results of physical activities. Total
energy expenditure is determined by resting or basal metabolic rates( BMR), Induced
thermogenesis and Energy expended as results of physical activities. Basal metabolic rate is the
minimum amount of energy that the body requires for essential organ and cellular functions
when lying in a state of physiological and metal rest. (Roskoden et al.,2017). BMR accounts for
typically 65-75% of total energy expenditure. Differences exist between genders and across
Ages. Females tend to have a lower BMR than males, and BMR decrease with ages. These
differences can largely be accounted for by differences in fat- free mass, which is proportional to
BMR.

Globally, in the world health organization projected that over one billion adults worldwide are
overweight, with about 500 million of them being obese (AgyarkwaaOti & Eshun, 2020).

In the united states of America observed that chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, stroke,
cancer, and cardiovascular diseases, are Major bottleneck and prominent cause of deaths and
disability.(AgyarkwaaOti & Eshun, 2020). Likewise, the estimated that up to one third of Cancers
are directly related to poor dietary practices resulting in excess weight and physical inactivity
and that being overweight or obese is the second leading cause of deathin the united states.(.
More recently, various report has shown that the world has witnessed an upsurge of obesity,
especially among adolescents and young adults (15-25years) has risen from 11 million in 1975 to
124 million in 2016.(Alangea et al., 2018).

Modernization of societies has resulted in the high reliance of technology, especially in the work
place and with this comes the increasing trend of work place sedentary behavior(Moulin & Irwin,
2017). Sedentary behavior is denoted by low level of energy expenditure in spitting or reclining
posture, prevalent in the domains relating to accumpation, transportation and leisure activities .
Common sedentary behavior may include excessive sitting related to television viewing, video
game playing, computer or other screen device use, driving automobiles and reading (Moulin &
Irwin, 2017). An individual can engage in excessive sitting while still meeting the
recommendations of 150 min of physical activity per week in daily activities. High sedentary
behavior engagement has been associated with an increased risk for all causes of mortality,
higher body mass index(BMI), and an array of chronic conditions, while a reduction in excessive
sedentary behavior may have beneficial health impacts.

The world health organization ( WHO) have published very similar recommendations and have
aimed to reduce the prevelence of insufficient physical activity by 10% by 2025.

In Tanzania, MOROGORO is the one among religions containing large number of university
students from different institutes. Such universities are Sokoine university of agriculture,
Mzumbe university, Muslim university and Jordan) university. University students may be
especially at risk for sedentary behavior, as much of their campus day consists of classroom
lectures and studying sitting still. On other hand young adults are typically in good dood health
and both educational institution and student’s welfare associations facilitate their students to
engage in various form of physical exercise. Actually, university students are both highly
sedentary and highly active. (Barchitta et al., 2022). It is important to know that there is a great
association between physical activity and BMI changes with the increasing prevalence on
overweight and obesity. The same to workers spends a lot of sitting day time which make them
to at risk on the prevalence of overweight and obesity especially for physical inactivity.

1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT

The low energy expenditure and estimate physical activity is extremel high in the global context
of non-communicable diseases including Malnutrition, overnutrition or obesity and diabetes. It is
also important to appreciate that physical activities and estimate energy are different constructs.
Physical activities can be defined as any bodily movement that results in energy expenditures
and accordingly, energy is expended as a result of physical activities.
The studies have been suggesting that university students and workers are both highly sedentary
lifestyle and highly active. University students may be especially at risk for sedentary behavior
because most of their campus day consists of classroom lectures and studying sitting still.
(Roskoden et al., 2017)

The studies have been made on this problem still there is little information and gap on energy
expenditure pattern of university students and workers especially on the assessment of lifestyle
among university students and on the issue of eating and dietary pattern of university students
and workers. Therefore, this study will go to fulfill the missed information on the how energy
expenditure pattern of university students and workers at Sokoine University of Agriculture
(SUA) in Morogoro municipality which may be applicable in the whole county of Tanzania. This
is because students of SUA are like other university's students in the county, eating habits and
lifestyle looks like .so students from SUA will represent other students’ lifestyle and eating
habits

The estimate of siting energy expenditure for university students and worker still higher
compared to the intensive physical activity and induce one or two sedentary behaviors
(AgyarkwaaOti & Eshun, 2020)

1.4 STUDY JUSTIFICATION

This study will address the problem in a line with non-communicable disease prevention and
control agenda 2022. Not only that but also this study will address the problem in the line with
substainable development goals number 3, which is health.

This research is very important to be conducted in our society mostly to the university students
and workers because people do not understand how to balance the energy consumed daily and
the energy needed to be expended, therefore, this research will show some possible measures to
be adopted by university students and workers so that to minimize the nutrition problems
occurred due to low energy expenditures. And if this research would not conducted, university
students and workers will still be suffering from malnutrition.

1.5 OBJECTIVES

1.5.1 Main objective

 To determine energy expenditure pattern of university students and workers at Sokoine

university of agricultures (SUA) in Morogoro municipal.

1.5.2 Specific objectives

 To assess the energy expenditure pattern among university students and workers at SUA
 To determine the nutritional status of university students and workers at SUA
 CHAPTER TWO

2. LITERATURE RIVIEW

2.1 Dietary pattern of university students and workers

The dietary patterns in actually diverse population of students attending branch of several
international universities located in Education city, Doha, Qatar. Four dietary patterns- fast food,
healthy diet, traditional diet and protein shake-were identified among the university students. The
lack of adherence to the health diet pattern was observed among younger students and the
adherence to the protein shake pattern was observed primary among physically active males.
(Songari G at all., 2018). The researcher has been investigated the link between habits of
students and their Nutritional status in different context in their studies. And revealed that
improper dietary habits such as the high intake of sweetened drinks and high fat food
consumption has a positive associations and effect between overweight and obese.(Mohmoud
M.H et al., 2017).

2.2 The lifestyle of university students and workers

The lifestyle of undergraduate may fall the adolescence and subsequent period are crucial for
developing healthy lifestyles and making possible choices about the food and beverages.
(Grasdalsmoen et al., 2019)The adolescence period is also important for developing of so-called
emotional eating, which is characterized by eating more food and consuming more food rich in
calories in negative responses to the emotions rather than of feeling hunger ( Limbers
et al., 2021). Mostly, the university students spend time sitting in the classroom lectures and then
after leaving the the cumpus they have little engagement in moderate exercise. This state of
living may lead into developing non-communicable disease like overweight and obese.

Good environmental working place can be the main course of sedentary lifestyle, this
characterized with low energy expenditure with the associations of food consumption where
more prefer eating fast foods with sense that time to prepare health food is very little. The same
to university students who like consuming fast food may be because of their limited lime.
People can perform 150minutes of moderation vigorous physical activity per week and still be
sedentary if they spend most of the day sitting.(Saeidifard et al., 2018). Therefore, strategies will
focus on decreasing timeof sitting in order to reduce cardiovascular diseases among university
students and workers. The population-based study has reported that countries to more than 7
hours in the united states. Sitting is considered the most common type of sedentary behavior .
The studies have been made to investigate the energy expenditure pattern between sitting and
standing meaning that ( sitting vs standing) and the results was about sitting time have low
energy expenditure although of increased calories intake as results of More muscle activity.
(Saeidifard et al., 2018) Likewise, standing involves burning of some body calories and body
fats which contributing the positive impact to healthy.so standing some times improve muscle
strength and sedentary lifestyle among university students and workers.

2.3 Nutritional status of university students and workers.

Linked to the student’s dietary habits is their Nutritional status, and empirical studies have
documented different variation of obesity prevalence in different part of the world . In the
assessment of nutritional status and eating practices of university students in the Malaysia
(AgyarkwaaOti & Eshun, 2020) revealed that most female consume Vegetables and there is a great
number r of skipped breakfast . Female consume fast food a week which impact negatively to
their health nutritional status of being overweight .

Nutritional status among university students are both underweiyand overweight. Most female
and males skipped breakfast and top on that other do skipping both breakfast and lunch as results
of using e stored calories in the body with unpropotions to the dietary intake. This may influence
the poor nutritional status. Likewise, among university students eat several times a fast food with
unpropotions of energy expenditure become overweight and obese.
 CHAPTER THREE

3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Study area

Morogoro Municipality is the regional headquarters of Morogoro Region, and includes 19 wards.
According to the census of 2022 the total popolation of Morogoro was 440,000, a 3.77% increase
from 2021. The total area population of Morogoro in 2021 was 424,000, a 3.67% increase from
2020.The total average annual rainfall ranges between 821 and 1,050 mm.Coordinates:
6°49′40.08″S 37°39′32.76″E.Morogoro Region is located about 190 km west of Dar es Salaam
(URT, 1996). The population consist 2,218,492 people. The region consists of seven
districts/councils that include Kilosa District Council, Morogoro District Council, Kilombero
District Council, Ulanga District Council, Morogoro Municipal Council, Mvomero District
Council and Gairo District Council. Morogoro Municipality is one among of the councils found
in the Region. Morogoro Municipality has several wards which are Mazimbu, Kingo, Mji
mkuu, Sabasaba, Mlimani, Mbuyuni, Kilakala, Mwembesongo, Kihonda, Bigwa, Mzinga,
Uwanja wa Taifa, Kiwanja cha ndege, Kichangani, and Sultan area. The health services of
Morogoro is moderate where the people use hospitals for treatment and some use traditional
medicine like trees medicine for treatment according to their culture. The ethnic group of
Morogoro region most people are Luguru tribe. The people from this Municipality are involved
in small scale farming, cattle keeping, tourism, catering, industrial activities and fishing at
Mindu dam (NBS and OCGS, 2013).

This study will be conducted at Sokoine university of agriculture in Morogoro municipality

specifically at Edward moringe campus(EMC) which is located at north west of Morogoro rural
district. Sokoine university of agriculture is a public university based in Morogoro Tanzania. The
university is located on the slope of the uluguru mountains establishing at 1984. Sokoine
university of agriculture has two campuses the Edward moringe campus (EMC) and Solomon
makholungu campus ( mazimbu). Because SUA contains Lage number of students and it is the
center of other universities around SUA , such universities are Mzumbe university, Jordan
University and MUM university. Therefore, Study area of Sokoine University of Agriculture will
represent other universities in the county since all students shere a commoni Enegy expenditure
and eating habits . According to budget and time I will conduct my research study at Edward
Molinge campus (EMC) of Sokoine University of Agriculture ( SUA). EMC of SUA is located
3km North east from Morogoro town

The mape below showing the location where Sokoine University of Agriculture is located.

3.2 Study design

This study will be conducted though a cross sectional research design to assess energy
expenditure pattern among university students and workers at Sokoine University of Agriculture
(SUA) in Morogoro municipality.

3.3 Study population

This study will involve university students studying at Sokoine university of agriculture of
Edward moringe campus.

3.3.1 sampling size

The sample size will be computed by using Cochran (1963) Formula for sample size which
specifies that n= N/1 +N.e2 where, n=number of sample size, N=population size, e=sampling
error or marginal error to determine the determine size . Base on the data available , number of
university students at Sokoine university of agriculture is 8210, and e=0.05.

Therefore,

N=N

1+N(e)2

N=sample size

E= level of precision= 0.05

N= 8210/ 1+8210(0.05)2

N=8210/ 21.525

N=381

Also, number of workers at Sokoine university of agriculture base on the data available is 2000
and e=0.05.
Therefore,

n=N/ 1+N(e)2

n=2000/ 1+2000(0.05)2

n=2000/6

n=333

Total number od study population is 381+333=714

According to budget and time the above number of study population is very large, I will use
only 300 sample size population for both students and workers. 200 will be university students
and 100 will be number of workers.

3.3.2 Sampling procedure

This study will select participants from 20 degree programmed at Edward moringe campus and
data will be collected from 15 respondent from each degree programmed by randomization
sampling. will be selected randomly and number of participants will be selected randomly from
each degree . Because all students from either department may be at risk of sedentary lifestyle
which involves the use of low energy expenditure. Also, number of workers will be selected
randomly in my studying because most of workers population may be at risk of energy
imbalance

3.4 Data collection

Data collection will be conducted through different method of data collection. Such method will
be structured questionnaire, anthropometric assessment and the interview.e. The questionnaire I
will administer in English language becouse my target population will be university students and
workers but if necessary Swahili language may be administered to ensure the participants can
respond correctly according to what I will be asking to them.all responses will be recorded in the
note
3.4.1 Data collection materials

Energy expenditure pattern among university students will be measured through a various
number of techniques which can be used to asses energy expenditure. Those methods are,

3.4.2 Direct calorimetry.

This involves whole body measurements in an enclosed chamber. Is a very cumbersome process
and requires very expensive equipment to measure. A chamber surrounded by a water jacket, air
tight, and the heat expelled by the person exercising in the chamber increases the temperature of
the water jacket. The amount of heat can be calculated by taking the amount of water multiplied
by the increases in temperature in the jacket because of the expenses involved in getting an
appropriate equipment, most laboratories use indirect calorimetry to measure metabolic rate.
Below there is a sketch to represent chamber surrounded by water jacket.
3.4.3. Indirect calorimetry

This involves the measuring of the heat that living objects creates from producing carbon dioxide
and nitrogenous wastes. It also deals with calculating the heat from oxygen consumption. From
calculating we can determine the percentage of carbohydrates and fatty acids being metabolized
and the amount of energy being produced.

Physical activity and Category Factor

 Very Light - seated and standing activities, driving, playing cards is 1.3
 Light - walking, carpentry, sailing, playing ping- pong or pool, golf is 1.6
 Moderate - carrying a load, jogging, light swimming, biking, calisthenics, scuba diving is
1.7
 Heavy - walking with a load uphill, rowing, digging, climbing, soccer, basketball,
running, obstacle course is 2.1
 Exceptional - running/swimming races, cycling uphill, carrying very heavy loads, hard
rowing is 2.4

ESTIMATING TOTAL ENERGY EXPENDITURE

This will be computed by taking REE value and multiply it by a number( factor) based on
expected physical activity.

REE=( 6.95 × Weight ₊ 679 ) kcal/day

Thus, total energy needs =(REE ×2.1) Kcal/day.

The above calculations will be used to estimate energy balance( the relationship between
energy in (food consumption) and energy out (physical activity) ) among individuals
structured as follows.
3.4.1 Structured questionnaire

The study will use structured questionnaire to gather information on the dietary pattern among
university students at SUA, their lifestyle and time spending for sitting rather than standing. The
questionnaire will consist six sections, the Domographic data( age and sex) of the participants,
socio-economic( the source of income or fund to both students and workers) which dertamine
their accessibility to food, minimal meal frequency and dietary diversity practices, working and
studying hours) and their food choices. Also, the questions will be insured that the information
linking to the study objectives.

3.4.2 Anthropometric measurements.

Anthropometric measurements wili be taken by taking body weight in Kg and height in meters
so that can be used leter to determine and assess the nutritional status among university students
and workers at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) with regard to the anthropometric
recommendation points.

Procedure of measuring body weight of university students and workers at EMC of SUA.
 Weight most common measure of growth
 weigh in light clothes, no shoes; use regularly calibrated electronic scales (spring scales
are less reliable); read to the nearest 100 gm (0.1kg)
 Can be used alone e.g. body weight or combination with other measures for example
weight for age.

Procedures of measuring height among undergraduates and workers

 subject stands erect,

 bare footed on a stadiometer with a movable head piece,
 head piece leveled with skull vault use portable adult wooden length board with a
movable head piece with a movable head piece record to the nearest 0.5 cm

Therefore, body mass index(BMI) will be computed by this formula, to determine the
nutritional status of university students and workers at EMC of SUA.

BMI =Weight (kg) ÷height (m2).

3.4.3. interview

As researcher I will conduct face to face interviews with the respondents using structured
questionnaire. The questionnaire I will administer in English language becouse my target
population will be university students and workers but if necessary Swahili language may be
administered to ensure the participants can respond correctly according to what I will be asking
to them.all responses will be recorded in the note book and estimated time To the Structured
questionnaire took 30 minutes.

3.5 Data analysis

Data will analyzed using SPSS for window (IBM version 21)

All demographic data ( age and sex) and socio-economic data (resources and income for
workers) , morbidity due to sedentary life overweight or obese and type 2 diabetes can be
analysed by SPSS. Also, the Emergency Nutritional Assessment (ENA) for smart ( Standardized
mornituring and assement of relief and transition version 11 will be used for analysis of
anthropometric measurements. According to the (WHO, 2018) the standard deviation scores ( Z
score for the weight for age z score (WAZ), height for age z score (HAZ) and Weight for height
z score (WHZ). The cut point is <-3 z score for severe malnutrition, >=-3 and <-2 z score for
moderate malnutrition and >=-2 z score for Normal health nutritional status.

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 BUDGET

This is the amount of money required to accomplish the research Study from the beginning to the
final.

4.1 Source of fund.

The source of fund is private fund. actually could be from the high education student's loan
board (HESLB) but the allocations of this academic year 2022/2023 provides non-shillings. No
money is allocating to fundraise the research process thing that will make some difficulties
during research conduction but I will try to balance my Boom (money for meals and
accomodations) so that I can conduct my research Study within a time.

4.2 Budget description

Budget description are shown in the tables below , showing the financial requirement for
carrying out special project in assessing the energy expenditure pattern of university students and
workers at Sokoine University of Agriculture( SUA ).

The estimated expenses will be as follows.

ACTIVITIES DESCRIPTION AND COST TOTAL

Proposal writing 5 pens @200 1000

2 pencil @200 200

1 ruler@ 500 500

1 eraser@500 500

1 notebook@ 5000 5,000

Tigo internet bundles for 1 12,500

week @ day 2500 per 1 GB

TOTAL 19200/=

Data collection Transport fee from Morogoro 10000

to SUA for 5 days@ 2000

Guest house for 5 days@ 50,000

 10000

Food for 5days@ day 5000 25,000

1 Sound recorder @ 29000 30,000

TOTAL 106,000/=

Report writing 1 A4 ream paper@ 12000 12,000

1 pen@ 200 200

1pencil@ 100 100

Tigo interment bundles 10,000

Printing = 5000 30,000

Photocopying and binging= 10,000

10000

TOTAL 62,300/=

GRANT TOTAL 187,500/=

CHAPTER FIVE

5. Work plan

This simply means the timeframe work that shows the arrangement of project proposal from the
stating points of proposal writing to the day of submission to the project supervisor.

ACTIVITIES DEC JAN FEB MARC APR MAY JUNE

 Supervisor
consultation

Proposal
writing

Research
proposal
submission

Collection of
data

Data coding,
analysis and
report
writing

Submission
of final
report

REFERENCES
AgyarkwaaOti, J., & Eshun, G. (2020). Dietary Habits and Nutritional Status of Undergraduate Students of
Winneba Campus of University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. Journal of Food Science & Nutrition, 1–
10. https://doi.org/10.46715/jfsn2020.10.1000109

Barchitta, M., Maugeri, A., Favara, G., Magnano San Lio, R., Riela, P. M., Guarnera, L., Battiato, S., & Agodi, A.
(2022). Development of a Web-App for the Ecological Momentary Assessment of Dietary Habits among
College Students: The HEALTHY-UNICT Project. Nutrients, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14020330
Grasdalsmoen, M., Eriksen, H. R., Lønning, K. J., & Sivertsen, B. (2019). Physical exercise and body-mass index
in young adults: A national survey of Norwegian university students. BMC Public Health, 19(1).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7650-z

Moulin, M. S., & Irwin, J. D. (2017). An Assessment of Sedentary Time Among Undergraduate Students at a
Canadian University. In International Journal of Exercise Science (Vol. 10, Issue 8).
http://www.intjexersci.com

Newton, R. L., Han, H., Zderic, T., & Hamilton, M. (2013). The Energy Expenditure of Sedentary Behavior: A
Whole Room Calorimeter Study. PLoS ONE, 8(5). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0063171

Roskoden, F. C., Krüger, J., Vogt, L. J., Gärtner, S., Hannich, H. J., Steveling, A., Lerch, M. M., & Aghdassi, A. A.
(2017). Physical activity, energy expenditure, nutritional habits, quality of sleep and stress levels in shift-
working health care personnel. PLoS ONE, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169983

Saeidifard, F., Medina-Inojosa, J. R., Supervia, M., Olson, T. P., Somers, V. K., Erwin, P. J., & Lopez-Jimenez, F.
(2018). Differences of energy expenditure while sitting versus standing: A systematic review and meta-
analysis. In European Journal of Preventive Cardiology (Vol. 25, Issue 5, pp. 522–538). SAGE Publications
Inc. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487317752186

GUIDING QUESTIONS ON ASSESSING ENERGY EXPENDITUTURE AND DIETARY

PATTERN OF UNIVERSTY STUDENTS AND WORKERS AT SOKOINE
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE (SUA) IN MOROGORO MUNICIPALITY

Appendix 1: Interviewer Introduction

Dear respondent, my name is ............................ a student at Sokoine University of Agriculture. I
am currently doing research as part of my study. The title of my research is “Assessments of
energy expenditure pattern of university students and workers”. I would like to assure you that
all the information you provide will be treated confidentially and will be used only for the
purposes of this study.

I. SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

1. Name of the worker………………………………………………………………….

2. Age………………………………………………………………………………

3. Office name…………………………………………………………………….

4. Religion

a. Christian

b. Muslim

c. Other specify……………………………………………………

5. Marital status (circle the appropriate)

a. Single/unmarried

b. Married

c. Divorced

d. Widowed

7. Occupation (circle the appropriate)

a. Employed
 b. Self-employed

C. Others ((specify………………………………………………

8. Source of your income (Circle the appropriate)

i. Salary

ii. Wages

iii. Business

iv. Others (specify)………………………………………………

………………………………………………

II. INFORMATION ON THE DIETARY INTAKE FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND

WORKERS

1. How often do you eat lunch at your workplace?

a) Every day

b) Most days

c) Occasionally
 d) Never

2. How often do you eat breakfast before coming to work?

a) Every day

b) Most days

c) Occasionally

d) Never

3. How often do you eat snacks or small meals throughout the day while at work?

a) Every day

b) Most days

c) Occasionally

d) Never

4. Do you eat at your desk while working?

a) Yes

b) No

5. Do you feel that your food choices and dietary pattern at work have an impact on your
overall health and well-being?

a) Yes

b) No
6. Do you feel that your work environment and schedule makes it difficult to make healthy
food choices?

a) Yes

b) No

7. What types of food do you typically eat for lunch at work? (Choose all that apply)

a) Fast food or takeout

b) Prepared meals from the vending machine

c) Homemade meals brought from home

d) Salads or fruits

e) Other (please specify) ________

8. How often do you consume sugary drinks or snacks at work?

a) Every day

b) Most days

c) Occasionally

d) Never

9. Do you feel that your workplace offers enough healthy food options for you to choose
from?

a) Yes

b) No
10. Do you feel that your coworkers influence your food choices and dietary pattern at work?

a) Yes

b) No

11. Do you think your employer should do more to promote healthy food options and healthy
eating habits at work?

a) Yes

b) No

12. Would you be interested in participating in a workplace wellness program that focuses on
healthy food choices and dietary patterns?

a) Yes

b) No

13. Do you have any suggestions or ideas for how your employer could promote healthy food
choices and dietary patterns at work?
________________________________________________________.