To lessen the burden of malnutrition in Nigeria, with a national prevalence of 32 per cent, and the second highest global burden of stunted children, a Nutritionist, Dr Kanalio Olaloku, has implored the Federal Government to leverage food and beverage fortification with essential micronutrients as a panacea.
Dr Olaloku, a nutrition expert with Nestle Nutrition Institute, Central West African Region, emphasised the necessity of the accessibility and affordability of these fortified products to vulnerable population, noting that it will go a long way in improving their health conditions.
Generally, she described malnutrition as poor intake of food which may be an excess consumption of food (overnutrition) or inadequate nutrient consumption (undernutrition).
In a recent report by the United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF), with the title, “Child Food Poverty: Addressing nutrition deprivation in early childhood”, it was revealed that an estimated 11 million Nigerian children are going through severe child food poverty, a condition that predisposes them to life-threatening malnutrition.
The agency in related statement also noted that about 2 million children in Nigeria suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), but only two out of every 10 children affected is currently reached with treatment, while seven percent of women of childbearing age are suffering from acute malnutrition.
Identifying the different factors responsible for this height in malnutrition to include failure in food systems, safe and accessible options, families’ inability to afford nutritious foods, and parents’ inability to adopt and sustain positive child feeding practices, the children’s agency urged Nigerian government and governments across the globe to urgently stem the tide by addressing these factors headlong.
The Nestle Nutritionist who spoke recently at the annual symposium of the Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) asserted that food micronutrient levels should be carefully calibrated to provide at least 15 percent of daily requirements while remaining below the upper intake limits to prevent overconsumption and potential adverse effects.
In her presentation entitled “Adequate Nutrition as Preventative Medicine,” Olaloku said, “Malnutrition is a broad term encompassing both undernutrition and over nutrition. Undernutrition refers to insufficient intake of essential nutrients, leading to conditions like stunting, wasting, and underweight.
“Conversely, over nutrition results from excessive food consumption, contributing to overweight, obesity, and related health issues.”
She decried decrease in the rate of breastfeeding among nursing mothers, identifying it as one of the factors fueling unregulated distribution of breastmilk substitutes, compounded by limited access to clean water during crises, which significantly predispose infants to morbidity and mortality.
Calling for prioritization of breastfeeding practices, she emphasized that provision of essential support can mitigate these risks and help bridge the gap between the most vulnerable and those with greater access to resources.
The Nutritionist said the World Health Organisation categorises malnutrition as including these conditions, as well as deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, and their associated diseases.
Lamenting that Nigeria continues to struggle with poor chronic indicators, she recalled that WHO, describes nutrition as the intake of food considered in relation to the body’s dietary need of cells.
“According to the WHO, food provides the body with energy, protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals to live, grow, and function properly. Good nutrition and physical activity are the cornerstone of both good physical and mental health. Good nutrition means your body gets all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to work its best,” she remarked.
