A dietician, Mr Tunde Ajobo, says that controlling increasing cases of non-communicable diseases like stroke, diabetes and hypertension requires that Nigeria consider tapping into cultural practices that prove to be sustainable in health promotion and disease.
Mr Ajobo, who spoke at a seminar entitled ‘Influence of Socioeconomic and Cultural Factors in the Prevention and Management of Diet-related Non-Communicable Diseases’ by the Institute for Dietetics in Nigeria(IDN), Oyo State, said in preventing these disease, focus should also be on promoting existing cultural practices notable for good health.
Ajobo, a dietician at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, said available evidence demonstrates that culture plays a vital role in determining how diseases like hypertension and diabetes are interpreted or managed by individuals.
He said that reducing salt intake, for instance, cannot be separated from cultural factors influencing nutrition-related beliefs and attitude towards the use of salt in food preparation.
According to him, food preparation patterns of steaming and boiling (never frying) which were the norm in many African cultures but which had declined in the era of modernity, should be reexamined because they have been proven to be most sustainable in health promotion and disease prevention.
“In many parts of West Africa, for example, bouillon cubes are used in almost every household to enhance or intensify the taste of food. The major ingredients in bouillon cubes are salts and monosodium glutamate. Concerns have been raised about their salt content, but they continue to be used extensively. So, there is a need to address the cultural factors driving this and other sources of salt intake.
“With diabetes and hypertension management and control, emphasis has been on consumption of food low in sugar. For the success of this, cultural dynamics that determine the everyday management and self-care practices need to be addressed.
“Consuming predominantly plant-based diets reduces the risk of developing obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other forms of cancer. Plant-based diets are high in vegetables and fruits, whole grains and moderate amounts of meat and dairy.
“Particular vegetables and fruits rich in folate, including cabbage, also protect from developing cancer of the rectum. Diets high in meats and dairy also increase blood pressure.”
Mr Ajobo declared that non-communicable diseases are more than just health problems, as both the disease and their underlying causes have major financial implications for government, business and individuals.
While tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets all increase the risk of dying from a non-communicable disease, he declared that the detection, screening and treatment of non-communicable diseases as well as palliative care are key components of the response to these diseases.
Earlier, a former head of department of human nutrition at the University of Ibadan, Professor Grace Fadopin, said that nutrition is the bedrock of health, wellness, and development across the nation, including happiness.
According to her, “food is part of what makes people happy and gain health; so the focus of the seminar is germane and appropriate to educate the public on how to manage their nutrition for optimal health.”
and then