Diet and nutrition management system
Date
2023-07Author
Muhumuza, Victor Ian
Wakoko, Simon Peter
Kikomeko, Peter Grace
Onen, Sam Sensy
Nambooze, Rachael
Metadata
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Improper diet and nutrition pose significant challenges among Makerere University students, resulting in detrimental health consequences such as malnutrition and obesity. The major causes of this challenge are inconsistent intake of healthy foods, improper meal timings, under or overeating, not having enough healthy foods, and nutritional ignorance. Our main objective was to develop a reliable, effective, and transparent Diet and nutrition management system to eliminate the above challenge.
The system provides timely reminders, food suggestions, and nutrition literature to assist students in making informed decisions about their dietary choices. To achieve this objective, a comprehensive approach was adopted. The initial step involved identifying the requirements for the Diet and Nutrition Management System through data collection from students, nutritionists, and restaurant managers. Online questionnaires and interviews were employed as data collection tools, enabling quantitative analysis. Cluster random sampling was utilized to select 300 students from three colleges, and their responses were gathered using Google Forms. Consultations were also conducted with a nutritionist from the Well-Care clinic, ensuring valuable professional insights into the causes of improper diet and nutrition and informing the incorporation of relevant features into the system. Additionally, interviews were conducted with restaurant managers at popular dining areas frequented by Makerere University students. The system’s front end was developed using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, while the Laravel framework and MySQL were employed for the back-end development. This technological combination facilitated the creation of a dynamic, user-friendly, and reliable web application. The developed Diet and Nutrition Management System effectively addresses the challenges of improper diet and nutrition among Makerere University students. It accomplishes this by providing timely reminders, food suggestions, and nutrition literature to assist students in making informed decisions about their dietary choices. By promoting healthier eating habits and ensuring access to relevant nutritional information, the system aims to mitigate the prevalence of malnutrition and obesity.