The Effectiveness of Promoting Sustainable Eating Habits Among Adolescents in Tertiary Institution Within Ilorin Metropolis

ABSTRACT Adolescents in tertiary institutions face significant challenges when it comes to maintaining healthy and sustainable eating habits. This period of life is characterized by major physical and psychological developments that require proper nutrition. However, many young adults in these institutions practice unsafe and unhealthy eating behaviors, leading to alarming rates of obesity and related health issues. The study examined how nutritionists influence sustainable eating habits among 15–19‑year‑old students in three tertiary institutions within Ilorin Metropolis. The study was guided with six research questions and four null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance, the investigation employed a descriptive survey design, administering a structured questionnaire to 225 adolescents. The sampling techniques used were purposive, stratified, simple random, and proportional sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0, with descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations) and inferential tests (Pearson’s correlation, regression) at α = 0.05. Findings indicate that financial constraints (mean = 4.09, SD = 1.11) and academic stress strongly affect dietary choices, while awareness of sustainable eating is high (mean = 1.95, SD = 0.36). Nutritionists’ interventions correlate significantly with improved awareness (r = 0.205, p  0.05). Major barriers include limited funding (mean = 3.35, SD = 0.82) and insufficient institutional support. The study concludes that although adolescents are knowledgeable about sustainable diets, practices fall behind due to systemic constraints. It recommends that establishing dedicated budget lines for nutrition programs, integrating sustainable‑eating modules into curricula, fostering partnerships between nutritionists and campus food services, and implementing peer‑mentoring schemes to reinforce behaviour change.