Knowledge and Perceptions on the Effects of Climate Change on Food Security among Caregivers of Under-Five Children in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria

Knowledge and Perceptions on the Effects of Climate Change on Food Security among Caregivers of Under-Five Children in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Knowledge and Perceptions on the Effects of Climate Change on Food Security among Caregivers of Under-Five Children in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria Hephzibah Nmesoma Ndulue, Amalachukwu Esther Uzomba, Maurice-Joel Ugbe Ugbe, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8724271/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 12 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Climate change - induced food insecurity is a global crisis disproportionately affecting children under five years old, contributing to approximately 3.1 million child deaths annually due to undernutrition. Methods Employing a cross-sectional descriptive design, the study involved caregivers of under-five children and was guided by three specific objectives, three research questions, and one hypothesis. A multistage sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 258 participants. Data were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS Version 23 and Microsoft Excel, focusing on frequencies and percentages. Results The study achieved a 100% response rate with all 258 copies of the questionnaire completed. The majority of respondents were females (50.8%), with most (70.2%) aged between 18 and 27 years. Most respondents (38.0%) had secondary education as their highest qualification, and a majority (71.7%) were single. Approximately 48.8% had good knowledge of climate change, and 38.4% had good knowledge of food security. Over half (65.9%) perceived the impact of climate change on food security for children under five positively. There was a statistically significant association between respondents' knowledge of climate change and their perceptions of its impact (χ 2 = 4.793, df = 2, p-value < 0.005). Conclusion This study highlights the critical role of caregivers’ knowledge and perceptions in addressing the impact of climate change on food security. It also shows the importance of awareness in shaping perceptions and potentially influencing actions to mitigate climate-related food insecurity. Climate Change Food Security Caregivers Under-five-children Nigeria Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 INTRODUCTION Food insecurity is one of the biggest issues facing many Sub-Saharan African nations [ 1 ]. Food insecurity is a process where by an individual do lack access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life [ 2 ]. Women who are of reproductive age and children under five are the most vulnerable groups among those who are the most malnourished and food insecure [ 1 ]. One of the biggest risks to human health this century is climate change, especially for those who already face significant food poverty and social marginalization [ 3 ]. One of the main health hazards that climate change is predicted to worsen is malnutrition, particularly in areas where food poverty is already a problem [ 3 ]. The outcomes of a child's supplemental feeding regimen are mostly determined by the nutritional knowledge, perception, attitude, and actions of the caregivers [ 4 ] Globally, climate change-induced food insecurity disproportionately affects children under five years old. Approximately 3.1 million child deaths occur annually which are attributable to undernutrition, with climate change exacerbating this crisis [ 5 ]. Climate change affects food availability, quality and diversity, exacerbating food and nutrition crises [ 6 ]. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to its dependence on rain-fed agriculture and limited adaptive capacity which has resulted to 287 million deaths [ 7 ]. The Nigerian Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action highlight the need to address climate change's impacts on agriculture and food security, particularly among vulnerable populations [ 8 ]. Therefore, this study seeks to assess the knowledge and perceptions on the effects of climate change on food security among METHODS This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among caregivers of under five children in Akpabuyo LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria. Akpabuyo is situated in the southern part of Cross River State, consisting of ten (10) wards, with its headquarters located in the town of Ikot Nakanda [9] It has an estimated population of about 414,700, which is a 2.7% annual population change from 2006 to 2022, with an area of 871.9 km 2 covering a population density of about 475.6 km 2 [10]. Akpabuyo LGA is situated within the geographical coordinates of latitude 4° 5' to 5° 40' and longitude 8° 25' to 8° 32' East. Positioned within the southern Nigeria vegetation zone, it borders the Atlantic Ocean coastline, adjacent to Bakassi in the East and the Republic of Cameroon in the West [11]. Multi-stage random sampling was used in the selection of respondents. The LGA has a total of 10 wards and 5 wards were picked through sampling without replacement. Systematical random sampling was then used to select 11 households and 1 eligible respondent was selected from each household. The sample size for the study was estimated using the Fisher’s formula as cited by [12]; n = Where; n= desired sample size Z = 95% (1.96) p = 18.5% = 0.185 [13] q = 1 - 0.185 = 0.816 d² = 5% = (0.05) ² = 0.0025 n = 231.65 =232 Assuming a non-response rate of 10% (0.1) = 256.67 = 257.7 The total sample was 258 Instrument for data collection A semi-structured questionnaire designed in English, guided by the research objectives was gathered with the aid of 2 research assistants. The questionnaire had a total of thirty-six questions, divided into four sections: Section A consisted of questions to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. Section B consisted of questions to determine the knowledge on climate change among respondents. Additionally, Section C looked at the knowledge on food security by respondents while Section D focused on the perceptions of respondents on the impact of climate change on food security for under-five children. Pre- testing After undergoing scrutiny, the questionnaire were pre-tested among respondents in Calabar Municipality Local Government Area. The purpose of this pre-testing is to ensure that the data collection instrument is reliable, valid, and capable of effectively measuring the variables of interest. Based on the results from the pre-test, necessary adjustments were made to the questionnaire before it was used. Field assistants received training on how to administer the questionnaires. Method of data analysis Upon completion, the questionnaires were manually verified to ensure completeness. All pertinent information were recorded, scrubbed, and analyzed utilizing Microsoft Excel. Subsequently, the data were transferred to Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) Version 23 for additional analysis. Explain how you arrived at the classification of the knowledge and perception level. Based on the modified Bloom’s cut-off, respondent who scored ≥ 80% of the correct knowledge questions (≥ 8 out of 11possible points) was considered to possess “good knowledge”, those who scored 60-79% (4-7 points) were regarded as having fair knowledge while those scoring < 60% (0-3 points out of 11 possible points) were considered to have “poor knowledge”. Attitudes of respondents were based on a 8-item questionnaire that assessed respondents. The response of each statement was indicated on a 4-point Likert scale as follows: statements with options ‘Strongly disagree’, ‘disagree’, ‘Agree’, or ‘strongly agree’ were given 1,2,3 and 4 respectively for all 10 questions. The expected minimum and maximum total attitude scores were 4 and 24 respectively. Categorizing into two groups, the total score of each respondent were divided into two (0-12 = negative, 13-24 = positive attitude). Ethical consideration The study protocol was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee within the Public Health Department of the University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria (UC/CM/PUH/ETH/2398). The study was conducted in accordance with the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki and guidelines of the ethics committee board of the department. Informed consent was obtained from all the respondents to ensure their full participation. Only those who gave verbal consent participated in the study. Respondents were assured of their confidentiality, anonymity, respect and dignity. To maintain anonymity, personal information such as name was not collected. Respondents were also duly informed that participation is voluntary and at any time in the study they can decide to withdraw without fear of penalty. RESULTS A total of 258 eligible respondents participated in the study, resulting in a 100% response rate. This part of the study will present the findings from the respondents in relation to the study. Table 1 illustrates the socio-demographic traits of the participants. Majority of the respondents were females 131(50.8%). About 181(70.2%) of the respondents were of the ages of 18 and 27 with a mean age and standard deviation of 24.82±5.366. 18 and 50 were the minimum and maximum ages respectively. Most of the respondents 98(38.0%) had secondary education as their highest level of academic qualification. More than three quarters of the respondents 185(71.7%) were single. Table 1: Sociodemographic Characteristics of respondents (n = 258) Variables Frequency Percentage (%) Gender Male 127 49.2 Female 131 50.8 Age 18-27 181 70.2 28-37 73 28.3 38 and above 4 1.6 Educational Level No formal education 49 19.0 Primary education 12 4.7 Secondary education 98 38.0 Tertiary education 99 38.4 Religion Christianity 146 56.6 Islam 14 5.4 Others (please specify) 98 38.0 Marital Status Single 185 71.7 Married 56 21.7 Co-habiting partners 11 4.3 Divorced 4 1.6 Separated 2 0.8 **Others = Atheist, Traditional Religion Knowledge level on climate change among respondents Figure 1 below, is a graphical representation of respondents’ level of knowledge of climate change. Majority of the respondents 126(48.8%) had good knowledge on climate change while 86(33.3%) had fair knowledge and 46(17.8%) had poor knowledge of climate change. Hence, there is a good knowledge level of climate change among respondents. Knowledge level on food security by respondents Figure 2 below, is a representation of respondents’ knowledge level on food security. Most of the respondents 99(38.4%) had good knowledge on food security while about 82(31.8%) had fair knowledge on food security and 77(29.8%) had poor knowledge on food security. Hence there is a good level of knowledge among respondents on food security. Respondents’ p erception level on the impact of climate change on food security for under five children Figure 3 below illustrates respondents’ perception level of the impact of climate change on food security for under five children. More than half of the respondents 170(65.9%) had a positive perception of the impact of climate change on food security for under five children. Whereas, about 88(34.1%) had a negative perception. Association between respondents’ knowledge on climate change and their perception. Table 5 below present the statistically significant association between knowledge level of respondents to climate change and their perception level toward climate change, and the result showed that there was no statistically significant association between knowledge level and perception level of respondents. (χ 2 = 9.814, df = 4, p-value = 0.044). indicating that we failed to reject the null hypothesis. Table 2 Association between respondents’ knowledge on climate change and their perception. Variable Knowledge level Poor knowledge Fair knowledge Good knowledge χ 2 p-value df negative perception 10(21.7%) 35(40.7%) 43(34.1%) 4.793 0.91 2 positive perception 36(78.3%) 51(59.3%) 83(65.9%) *Statistical significance based on p -Value <0.05; p -value= Probability value; χ2= Observed Chi Square statistic DISCUSSION Findings from this study show that majority of the respondents 126(48.8%) had good knowledge on climate change. The results of this study resonate with the results of a study conducted by Lagally et al. [ 14 ] on climate change and child health - assessment of parents’ perspective and relevance. The findings from the study indicated that about 75% of the respondents knew at least one health consequence of climate change. Heat related illnesses were named as the most important health consequences (74.1%). Parents obtain most of their information from the Internet (73.3%). This study is also similar to the results of a study conducted by Reyes-García et al. [ 15 ] on level of knowledge on climate change among the people residing in a selected area of Dhaka city. The results showed that nearly half of the respondents heard about the global warming but 43.24% didn't. A major portion of the respondents (62.39%) agreed to include the Climate Change in school curriculum. 39.38% respondents strongly agreed that the world climate is changing but it was due to human behaviour which was strongly agreed by 16.81%. 17.26% strongly believed that developed countries are the main contributors. 15.49% of the respondents strongly agreed that developed countries should provide compensation to the affected developing countries. Neither agreed nor disagreed that the Climate Change had impact on economy was 38.06% but 40.27% respondents strongly agreed that Climate has impact on human health. 36.73% respondents strongly agreed that Climate Change has impact on food production and 34.07% strongly agreed that it has impact on soil condition and fertility. 49.56% respondents strongly agreed for the need to take measure to reduce or prevent Climatic Change and 43.23% strongly agreed on awareness creation to cope with Climate Change. Indicating a moderate knowledge level among participants. The results from this study showed that 99(38.4%) of the respondents had good knowledge on food security The results of this study differ from the results of a study conducted by Achiro et al. [ 16 ] on Status of food safety knowledge, attitude, and practices of caregivers of children in northern Uganda. The results showed that there was a high proportion of caregivers with sufficient food safety knowledge (74.1%). The results of this current study contradicts the results of a study conducted by La et al. [ 17 ] on investigation of food selection and processing among primary food. The results found that 78.9% of people had good knowledge regarding food poisoning prevention in food selection and processing. Also, the findings of this current study differs from the results of a study conducted by Bilbeisi et al. [ 18 ] on Households' Food Insecurity and Their Association With Dietary Intakes, Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among Under-five Children in Gaza Strip, Palestine.. The results showed that about (56.0%) food-insecure households have inadequate nutrition-related knowledge. Findings from this study revealed that more than half of the respondents 170(65.9%) had positive perception of the impact of climate change on food security for under five children. This study resonates with a study conducted by Poudel et al. [ 19 ] on Household perceptions about the impacts of climate change on food security in the mountainous region of Nepal. Similarly, this study is in line with a study conducted by Mayala et al. [ 20 ] on knowledge, perception and practices about malaria, climate change, livelihoods and food security among rural communities of central Tanzania. Also, the results of this study resonates with the results of a research conducted by Rahman et al. [ 21 ]. Additionally the results of this current study are in line with the results of a study conducted by Debela et al. [ 22 ] on perception of climate change and its impact by smallholders in pastoral/agropastoral systems of Borana, South Ethiopia. Limitation of the study Since the study heavily relied on participants' responses, there was a possibility of social desirability bias, where participants provided answers, their believe was socially acceptable rather than reflecting their true knowledge, perceptions, and practices. This potentially affected the accuracy and reliability of the findings. The cross-sectional nature of the study design also hindered the ability to establish causal relationships. Since data was collected at a single point in time, it became challenging to determine the temporal sequence of events, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions about the cause-and-effect relationships between climate change knowledge, perceptions, and food security outcomes. CONCLUSION In conclusion, this study highlights the critical role of caregivers' knowledge and perceptions in addressing the impact of climate change on food security for children under five in Akpabuyo LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria. The findings reveal that while a substantial proportion of caregivers possess a positive perception of the impact of climate change on food security, there is still a need to enhance their knowledge to ensure effective responses to this pressing issue. The significant association between knowledge levels and perceptions underscores the importance of educational interventions aimed at increasing knowledge and understanding of climate change's effects on child nutrition. Strengthening caregivers' capacity to adapt to climate-related challenges is essential for improving food security and reducing undernutrition among vulnerable populations. These insights can inform policies and programs designed to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on child health and nutrition, ultimately contributing to global efforts to combat child mortality related to undernutrition. Recommendation It is recommended that promotion of sustainable agricultural practices among caregivers should be adopted as well as training on nutrition to help caregivers make informed decisions about children’s diets. It is also recommended that community-led initiatives and support groups should be established in communities for caregivers to collaborate on local solutions for food production and distribution. Most importantly, advocacy for the development of national policies that integrate climate change adaptation into food security and agricultural planning is advised. Declarations No funding was received for the submitted work or during the preparation of the manuscript. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Author Contribution: Conceptualization and design - HNN, AEU, SNO Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data- HNN, AEU, UMU Statistical analysis - HNN, AEU Supervision - AEU, UMU Drafting of the manuscript - SNO Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content - HNN, AEU, UMU, SNO. Ethical Approval: The study protocol was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee within the Public Health Department of the University of Calabar – with ethical number: UC/CM/PUH/ETH/2398. Accordance Statement: The study and methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. Consent to Participate: Informed consent was obtained from all participants; they had the option to participate voluntarily and withdraw from the study at any time without facing any negative consequences. Informed Consent: was obtained from all participants and all were above the age of 18. Only those who gave informed consent participated in the study. Clinical Trial Number: not applicable. Consent to Publish: Approval of final article for publication: All authors Data Availability: The dataset generated during and / or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. References Mbwana HA, Kinabo J, Lambert C, Biesalski HK. Factors influencing stunting among children in rural Tanzania: an agro-climatic zone perspective. Food Security. 2017 Apr 22;9(6):1157–71. United Nations. Global Issues: Food [Internet]. United Nations. United Nations; 2024. Available from: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/foo‌d. Food Insecurity and Climate Change Adaptation Among Peruvian Indigenous Shawi - ProQuest [Internet]. Proquest.com. 2017 [cited 2026 Jan 26]. Available from: https://www.proquest.com/openview/00f0b9f77f81a1fe63203934f121b453/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y. Nassanga P, Okello-Uma I, Ongeng D. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8724271","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":596163598,"identity":"d39968de-ffef-4820-aa82-d524bc059d64","order_by":0,"name":"Hephzibah Nmesoma Ndulue","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA9ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFCCBMYDCI6BDZBgbDyAQy1MCwOSgoI0kJYGUrR8OAym8GoxZ88xOMxTcSean//w0Q0/DM7brW0/DLSlxiYalxbLnjdALWee5c6ckZZ2s8fgdvK2M4lALcfSchtwaDG4AbSFt+1w7oYbPGY3eIBazA4AtTA2HCag5d/h3P3nz5jd/GNwLtns/ENitAAVbGDIMbvNY3DAzuwGIVvOPCs4OOfY4dwZN9LSbssYJCeY3QDakoDPL8eTNz54U3M4t7//8LGbb/7Y2ZudT3/44EONDU4tGCARrDKBWOUgYE+K4lEwCkbBKBgZAADuK2/3v0IEgwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"University of Calabar","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hephzibah","middleName":"Nmesoma","lastName":"Ndulue","suffix":""},{"id":596163599,"identity":"fd25437e-bdc3-40a9-be98-7afd889c2e89","order_by":1,"name":"Amalachukwu Esther Uzomba","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Calabar","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Amalachukwu","middleName":"Esther","lastName":"Uzomba","suffix":""},{"id":596163600,"identity":"eea49770-62d8-42d6-8a77-88a2115fb6ed","order_by":2,"name":"Maurice-Joel Ugbe Ugbe","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Calabar","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Maurice-Joel","middleName":"Ugbe","lastName":"Ugbe","suffix":""},{"id":596163601,"identity":"992b72a1-568e-447b-bcb5-a07ea9695fac","order_by":3,"name":"Stephenie Nzubechi Obannaya","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Calabar","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Stephenie","middleName":"Nzubechi","lastName":"Obannaya","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-28 18:08:41","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8724271/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8724271/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":103584168,"identity":"75c9d6a6-7925-41c5-8dc5-70b4849796f6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-27 10:51:18","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":44559,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eKnowledge level of climate change among respondents\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8724271/v1/eea4b83904ae9c23de4808d5.png"},{"id":103584166,"identity":"b15b9f18-ab6e-4ade-96ab-c07466c52079","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-27 10:51:17","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":46148,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eKnowledge level of climate change among respondents\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8724271/v1/2ea7674c133ec5549d06593a.png"},{"id":103584165,"identity":"4ae07723-b62e-4f53-93cb-8f2805b50555","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-27 10:51:17","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":32959,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRespondents’ perception level of the impact of climate change on food security for under five children\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8724271/v1/7f1be380b25fd7535ee93eed.png"},{"id":104399143,"identity":"bd03d594-88ba-4023-81af-78178dc48b1a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-11 12:04:48","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":953209,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8724271/v1/6dcac6ca-144d-4a23-9fe6-08cdbb540ebf.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eKnowledge and Perceptions on the Effects of Climate Change on Food Security among Caregivers of Under-Five Children in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[{"header":"INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eFood insecurity is one of the biggest issues facing many Sub-Saharan African nations [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. Food insecurity is a process where by an individual do lack access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Women who are of reproductive age and children under five are the most vulnerable groups among those who are the most malnourished and food insecure [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. One of the biggest risks to human health this century is climate change, especially for those who already face significant food poverty and social marginalization [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. One of the main health hazards that climate change is predicted to worsen is malnutrition, particularly in areas where food poverty is already a problem [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. The outcomes of a child's supplemental feeding regimen are mostly determined by the nutritional knowledge, perception, attitude, and actions of the caregivers [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGlobally, climate change-induced food insecurity disproportionately affects children under five years old. Approximately 3.1\u0026nbsp;million child deaths occur annually which are attributable to undernutrition, with climate change exacerbating this crisis [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. Climate change affects food availability, quality and diversity, exacerbating food and nutrition crises [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to its dependence on rain-fed agriculture and limited adaptive capacity which has resulted to 287\u0026nbsp;million deaths [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. The Nigerian Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action highlight the need to address climate change's impacts on agriculture and food security, particularly among vulnerable populations [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, this study seeks to assess the knowledge and perceptions on the effects of climate change on food security among\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"METHODS","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among\u0026nbsp;caregivers of under five children in Akpabuyo LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria. Akpabuyo is situated in the southern part of Cross River State, consisting of ten (10) wards, with its headquarters located in the town of Ikot Nakanda\u0026nbsp;[9] It has an estimated population of about 414,700, which is a 2.7% annual population change from 2006 to 2022, with an area of 871.9 km\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e covering a population density of about 475.6 km\u003csup\u003e2\u0026nbsp;\u003c/sup\u003e[10]. Akpabuyo LGA is situated within the geographical coordinates of latitude 4\u0026deg; 5\u0026apos; to 5\u0026deg; 40\u0026apos; and longitude 8\u0026deg; 25\u0026apos; to 8\u0026deg; 32\u0026apos; East. Positioned within the southern Nigeria vegetation zone, it borders the Atlantic Ocean coastline, adjacent to Bakassi in the East and the Republic of Cameroon in the West\u0026nbsp;[11]. Multi-stage random sampling was used in the selection of respondents. The LGA has a total of 10 wards and 5 wards were picked through sampling without replacement. Systematical random sampling was then used to select 11 households and 1 eligible respondent was selected from each household. The sample size for the study was estimated using the Fisher\u0026rsquo;s formula as cited by [12];\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003en = \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003en= desired sample size\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZ = 95% (1.96)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ep = 18.5% = 0.185 [13]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eq = 1 - 0.185 = 0.816\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ed\u0026sup2; = 5% = (0.05) \u0026sup2; = 0.0025\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003en = 231.65 =232\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAssuming a non-response rate of 10% (0.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e= 256.67 = 257.7\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe total sample was 258\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstrument for data collection\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA semi-structured questionnaire designed in English, guided by the research objectives was gathered with the aid of 2 research assistants. The questionnaire had a total of thirty-six questions, divided into four sections: Section A consisted of questions to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. Section B consisted of questions to determine the knowledge\u0026nbsp;on climate change among respondents. Additionally,\u0026nbsp;Section C\u0026nbsp;looked at the knowledge on food security by respondents while\u0026nbsp;Section D focused on the\u0026nbsp;perceptions of respondents on the impact of climate change on food security for under-five children.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePre-\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003etesting\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter undergoing scrutiny, the questionnaire were pre-tested among respondents in Calabar Municipality Local Government Area. The purpose of this pre-testing is to ensure that the data collection instrument is reliable, valid, and capable of effectively measuring the variables of interest. Based on the results from the pre-test, necessary adjustments were made to the questionnaire before it was used. Field assistants received training on how to administer the questionnaires.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethod of data analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUpon completion, the questionnaires were manually verified to ensure completeness. All pertinent information were recorded, scrubbed, and analyzed utilizing Microsoft Excel. Subsequently, the data were transferred to Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) Version 23 for additional analysis. Explain how you arrived at \u0026nbsp;the classification of the knowledge and perception level. Based on the modified Bloom\u0026rsquo;s cut-off, respondent who scored \u0026ge; 80% of the correct knowledge questions (\u0026ge; 8 out of 11possible points) was considered to possess \u0026ldquo;good knowledge\u0026rdquo;, those who scored 60-79% (4-7 points) were regarded as having fair knowledge while those scoring \u0026lt; 60% (0-3 points out of 11 possible points) were considered to have \u0026ldquo;poor knowledge\u0026rdquo;.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAttitudes of respondents were based on a 8-item questionnaire that assessed respondents. The response of each statement was indicated on a 4-point Likert scale as follows: statements with options \u0026lsquo;Strongly disagree\u0026rsquo;, \u0026lsquo;disagree\u0026rsquo;, \u0026lsquo;Agree\u0026rsquo;, or \u0026lsquo;strongly agree\u0026rsquo; were given 1,2,3 and 4 respectively for all 10 questions. The expected minimum and maximum total attitude scores were 4 and 24 respectively. Categorizing into two groups, the total score of each respondent were divided into two (0-12 = negative, 13-24 = positive attitude).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical consideration\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study protocol was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee within the Public Health Department of the University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria (UC/CM/PUH/ETH/2398). The study was conducted in accordance with the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki and guidelines of the ethics committee board of the department. Informed consent was obtained from all the respondents to ensure their full participation. Only those who gave verbal consent participated in the study. Respondents were assured of their confidentiality, anonymity, respect and dignity. To maintain anonymity, personal information such as name was not collected. Respondents were also duly informed that participation is voluntary and at any time in the study they can decide to withdraw without fear of penalty.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"RESULTS","content":"\u003cp\u003eA total of 258 eligible respondents participated in the study, resulting in a 100% response rate. This part of the study will present the findings from the respondents in relation to the study. Table 1 illustrates the socio-demographic traits of the participants. Majority of the respondents were females 131(50.8%). About 181(70.2%) of the respondents were of the ages of 18 and 27 with a mean age and standard deviation of 24.82\u0026plusmn;5.366. 18 and 50 were the minimum and maximum ages respectively. Most of the respondents 98(38.0%) had secondary education as their highest level of academic qualification. More than three quarters of the respondents 185(71.7%) were single.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 1:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSociodemographic Characteristics of respondents (n = 258)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"\" width=\"640\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariables\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGender\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 302px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e127\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e49.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e131\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e50.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18-27\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e181\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e70.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28-37\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e73\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38 and above\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEducational Level\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNo formal education\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e49\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e19.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePrimary education\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSecondary education\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e98\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTertiary education\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e99\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReligion\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eChristianity\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e146\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e56.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIslam\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOthers (please specify)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e98\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarital Status\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSingle\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e185\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e71.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMarried\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e56\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCo-habiting partners\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDivorced\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 338px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSeparated\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 170px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 132px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e**Others = Atheist, Traditional Religion\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKnowledge\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003elevel\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eon climate change among respondents\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFigure 1 below, is a graphical representation of respondents\u0026rsquo; level of knowledge of climate change. Majority of the respondents 126(48.8%) had good knowledge on climate change while 86(33.3%) had fair knowledge and 46(17.8%) had poor knowledge of climate change. Hence, there is a good knowledge level of climate change among respondents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKnowledge level on food security by respondents\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFigure 2 below, is a representation of respondents\u0026rsquo; knowledge level on food security. Most of the respondents 99(38.4%) had good knowledge on food security while about 82(31.8%) had fair knowledge on food security and 77(29.8%) had poor knowledge on food security. Hence there is a good level of knowledge among respondents on food security.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRespondents\u0026rsquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003ep\u003cstrong\u003eerception level on the impact of climate change on food security for under five children\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFigure 3 below illustrates respondents\u0026rsquo; perception level of the impact of climate change on food security for under five children. More than half of the respondents 170(65.9%) had a positive perception of the impact of climate change on food security for under five children. Whereas, about 88(34.1%) had a negative perception.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAssociation between respondents\u0026rsquo; knowledge on climate change and their perception.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable 5 below present the statistically significant association between knowledge level of respondents to climate change and their perception level toward climate change, and the result showed that there was no statistically significant association between knowledge level and perception level of respondents.\u0026nbsp;(\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e = 9.814, df = 4, p-value = 0.044). indicating that we failed to reject the null hypothesis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 2\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAssociation between respondents\u0026rsquo; knowledge on climate change and their perception.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"621\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 130px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariable\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\" valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 198px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKnowledge level\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 99px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 99px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePoor knowledge\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 99px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFair knowledge\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 99px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGood knowledge\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026chi;\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ep-value\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003edf\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 130px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003enegative perception\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 99px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10(21.7%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 99px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e35(40.7%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 99px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43(34.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.793\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.91\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 130px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003epositive perception\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 99px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e36(78.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 99px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e51(59.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 99px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e83(65.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 73px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 55px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e*Statistical significance based on \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e-Value \u0026lt;0.05; \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e-value= Probability value;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026chi;2= Observed Chi Square statistic\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eFindings from this study show that majority of the respondents 126(48.8%) had good knowledge on climate change. The results of this study resonate with the results of a study conducted by Lagally et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e] on climate change and child health - assessment of parents\u0026rsquo; perspective and relevance. The findings from the study indicated that about 75% of the respondents knew at least one health consequence of climate change. Heat related illnesses were named as the most important health consequences (74.1%). Parents obtain most of their information from the Internet (73.3%). This study is also similar to the results of a study conducted by Reyes-Garc\u0026iacute;a et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e] on level of knowledge on climate change among the people residing in a selected area of Dhaka city. The results showed that nearly half of the respondents heard about the global warming but 43.24% didn't. A major portion of the respondents (62.39%) agreed to include the Climate Change in school curriculum. 39.38% respondents strongly agreed that the world climate is changing but it was due to human behaviour which was strongly agreed by 16.81%. 17.26% strongly believed that developed countries are the main contributors. 15.49% of the respondents strongly agreed that developed countries should provide compensation to the affected developing countries. Neither agreed nor disagreed that the Climate Change had impact on economy was 38.06% but 40.27% respondents strongly agreed that Climate has impact on human health. 36.73% respondents strongly agreed that Climate Change has impact on food production and 34.07% strongly agreed that it has impact on soil condition and fertility. 49.56% respondents strongly agreed for the need to take measure to reduce or prevent Climatic Change and 43.23% strongly agreed on awareness creation to cope with Climate Change. Indicating a moderate knowledge level among participants.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results from this study showed that 99(38.4%) of the respondents had good knowledge on food security The results of this study differ from the results of a study conducted by Achiro et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e] on Status of food safety knowledge, attitude, and practices of caregivers of children in northern Uganda. The results showed that there was a high proportion of caregivers with sufficient food safety knowledge (74.1%). The results of this current study contradicts the results of a study conducted by La et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e] on investigation of food selection and processing among primary food. The results found that 78.9% of people had good knowledge regarding food poisoning prevention in food selection and processing. Also, the findings of this current study differs from the results of a study conducted by Bilbeisi et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e] on Households' Food Insecurity and Their Association With Dietary Intakes, Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among Under-five Children in Gaza Strip, Palestine.. The results showed that about (56.0%) food-insecure households have inadequate nutrition-related knowledge.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFindings from this study revealed that more than half of the respondents 170(65.9%) had positive perception of the impact of climate change on food security for under five children. This study resonates with a study conducted by Poudel et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e] on Household perceptions about the impacts of climate change on food security in the mountainous region of Nepal. Similarly, this study is in line with a study conducted by Mayala et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e] on knowledge, perception and practices about malaria, climate change, livelihoods and food security among rural communities of central Tanzania.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlso, the results of this study resonates with the results of a research conducted by Rahman et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. Additionally the results of this current study are in line with the results of a study conducted by Debela et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e] on perception of climate change and its impact by smallholders in pastoral/agropastoral systems of Borana, South Ethiopia.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eLimitation of the study\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eSince the study heavily relied on participants' responses, there was a possibility of social desirability bias, where participants provided answers, their believe was socially acceptable rather than reflecting their true knowledge, perceptions, and practices. This potentially affected the accuracy and reliability of the findings. The cross-sectional nature of the study design also hindered the ability to establish causal relationships. Since data was collected at a single point in time, it became challenging to determine the temporal sequence of events, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions about the cause-and-effect relationships between climate change knowledge, perceptions, and food security outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"CONCLUSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn conclusion, this study highlights the critical role of caregivers' knowledge and perceptions in addressing the impact of climate change on food security for children under five in Akpabuyo LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria. The findings reveal that while a substantial proportion of caregivers possess a positive perception of the impact of climate change on food security, there is still a need to enhance their knowledge to ensure effective responses to this pressing issue. The significant association between knowledge levels and perceptions underscores the importance of educational interventions aimed at increasing knowledge and understanding of climate change's effects on child nutrition. Strengthening caregivers' capacity to adapt to climate-related challenges is essential for improving food security and reducing undernutrition among vulnerable populations. These insights can inform policies and programs designed to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on child health and nutrition, ultimately contributing to global efforts to combat child mortality related to undernutrition.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eRecommendation\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt is recommended that promotion of sustainable agricultural practices among caregivers should be adopted as well as training on nutrition to help caregivers make informed decisions about children\u0026rsquo;s diets. It is also recommended that community-led initiatives and support groups should be established in communities for caregivers to collaborate on local solutions for food production and distribution. Most importantly, advocacy for the development of national policies that integrate climate change adaptation into food security and agricultural planning is advised.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003eNo funding was received for the submitted work or during the preparation of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflict of Interest:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe authors declare no conflict of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contribution:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConceptualization and design - HNN, AEU, SNO\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data- HNN, AEU, UMU\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStatistical analysis - HNN, AEU\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSupervision - AEU, UMU\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrafting of the manuscript - SNO\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCritical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content - HNN, AEU, UMU, SNO.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical Approval:\u003c/strong\u003e The study protocol was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee within the Public Health Department of the University of Calabar \u0026ndash; with ethical number: UC/CM/PUH/ETH/2398.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAccordance Statement:\u003c/strong\u003e The study and methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Participate:\u003c/strong\u003e Informed consent was obtained from all participants; they had the option to participate voluntarily and withdraw from the study at any time without facing any negative consequences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInformed Consent:\u003c/strong\u003e was obtained from all participants and all were above the age of 18. Only those who gave informed consent participated in the study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClinical Trial Number:\u003c/strong\u003e not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Publish:\u003c/strong\u003e Approval of final article for publication: All authors\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability:\u003c/strong\u003e The dataset generated during and / or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMbwana HA, Kinabo J, Lambert C, Biesalski HK. Factors influencing stunting among children in rural Tanzania: an agro-climatic zone perspective. Food Security. 2017 Apr 22;9(6):1157\u0026ndash;71.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eUnited Nations. Global Issues: Food [Internet]. United Nations. United Nations; 2024. Available from: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/foo\u0026zwnj;d.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eFood Insecurity and Climate Change Adaptation Among Peruvian Indigenous Shawi - ProQuest [Internet]. Proquest.com. 2017 [cited 2026 Jan 26]. Available from: https://www.proquest.com/openview/00f0b9f77f81a1fe63203934f121b453/1?pq-origsite=gscholar\u0026amp;cbl=18750\u0026amp;diss=y.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eNassanga P, Okello-Uma I, Ongeng D. The status of nutritional knowledge, attitude and practices associated with complementary feeding in a post-conflict development phase setting: The case of Acholi sub-region of Uganda. Food Science \u0026amp; Nutrition. 2018 Oct 25;6(8):2374\u0026ndash;85.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eWorld Health Organization. WHO issues new guideline to tackle acute malnutrition in children under five [Internet]. www.who.int. 2023. 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Household Perceptions about the Impacts of Climate Change on Food Security in the Mountainous Region of Nepal. Sustainability. 2017 Apr 18;9(4):641.\u0026zwnj;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMayala BK, Fahey CA, Wei D, Zinga MM, Bwana VM, Mlacha T, et al. Knowledge, perception and practices about malaria, climate change, livelihoods and food security among rural communities of central Tanzania. Infectious Diseases of Poverty. 2015 Apr 24;4(1).\u0026zwnj;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eRahman, Farhad Zulfiqar, Ullah H, Sushil Kumar Himanshu, Datta A. Farmers\u0026rsquo; perceptions, determinants of adoption, and impact on food security: case of climate change adaptation measures in coastal Bangladesh. Climate Policy. 2023 May 21;1\u0026ndash;14.\u0026zwnj;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eDebela N, Mohammed C, Bridle K, Corkrey R, McNeil D. Perception of climate change and its impact by smallholders in pastoral/agropastoral systems of Borana, South Ethiopia. SpringerPlus [Internet]. 2015 May 20 [cited 2019 Apr 9];4(1). Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4456599/\u0026zwnj;.\u0026zwnj;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Public Health](https://link.springer.com/journal/12982)","snPcode":"12982","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12982/3","title":"Discover Public Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Climate Change, Food Security, Caregivers, Under-five-children, Nigeria","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8724271/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8724271/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eClimate change - induced food insecurity is a global crisis disproportionately affecting children under five years old, contributing to approximately 3.1\u0026nbsp;million child deaths annually due to undernutrition.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmploying a cross-sectional descriptive design, the study involved caregivers of under-five children and was guided by three specific objectives, three research questions, and one hypothesis. A multistage sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 258 participants. Data were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS Version 23 and Microsoft Excel, focusing on frequencies and percentages.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study achieved a 100% response rate with all 258 copies of the questionnaire completed. The majority of respondents were females (50.8%), with most (70.2%) aged between 18 and 27 years. Most respondents (38.0%) had secondary education as their highest qualification, and a majority (71.7%) were single. Approximately 48.8% had good knowledge of climate change, and 38.4% had good knowledge of food security. Over half (65.9%) perceived the impact of climate change on food security for children under five positively. There was a statistically significant association between respondents' knowledge of climate change and their perceptions of its impact (χ\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;4.793, df\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2, p-value\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.005).\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study highlights the critical role of caregivers\u0026rsquo; knowledge and perceptions in addressing the impact of climate change on food security. It also shows the importance of awareness in shaping perceptions and potentially influencing actions to mitigate climate-related food insecurity.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Knowledge and Perceptions on the Effects of Climate Change on Food Security among Caregivers of Under-Five Children in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-27 10:51:12","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8724271/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-08T07:06:09+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-16T05:10:02+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-10T18:37:00+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"52026351859529367004051246992788361962","date":"2026-03-08T18:39:23+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"150329090963217377671043614049834806021","date":"2026-03-04T19:35:22+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"159288183629631281893186595375869562553","date":"2026-03-02T09:42:33+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"204309346521218254968870954869043641176","date":"2026-02-26T08:22:16+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-02-24T08:09:15+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-02-05T17:51:41+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-02-02T07:57:32+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-02-02T07:52:44+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Public Health","date":"2026-01-28T17:49:18+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Public Health](https://link.springer.com/journal/12982)","snPcode":"12982","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12982/3","title":"Discover Public Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"baab97c0-3105-408d-8b25-be4700a5cc10","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 27th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-17T12:23:33+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-27 10:51:12","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8724271","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8724271","identity":"rs-8724271","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}