Stakeholders have told the Federal Government to implement a protein-centered national nutrition policy, saying that stunted growth, chronic anaemia and protein-energy malnutrition in children and underdevelopment in adult females can be attributed to poor diet, including poor inclusion of protein sources.
Dr Adepeju Adeniran, National Chairperson, Nigerian Chapter of Women in Global Health, speaking at the sixth Protein Challenge digital dialogue with the theme “The Case for a Protein-centred National Nutrition policy in Nigeria” said such a nutritional policy will be able to respond to 51 per cent of the targeted population under the national survey on household protein consumption who did not have access to protein-rich foods because of cost.
Adeniran, a public health expert, said protein consumption habits are influenced by the choice of meals in the home, preference of the buyer, availability and affordability of the food, including its taste as well as individual knowledge of the nutritional value of various foods.
According to her, “often what we eat in the house is determined by what the person who is purchasing prefers. And this is why the power of decision-making is another place that we must target protein education and protein affordability.”
Dr Adeniran said such nutritional policies on food fortification in other countries had been adopted to respond to identified problems such as anaemia and osteoporosis in children and proven helpful in making significant improvement in the deficiency problems or diseases that the policies aimed to solve.
Dr Omadeli Boyo, medical director, Pinecrest Specialist Hospital, stated that about 2 million children in Nigeria suffer from severe acute malnutrition, the second highest in the world, and only two out of every 10 children affected by severe acute malnutrition is currently being reached with treatment.
According to him, “also, seven per cent of women from the child bearing age have acute malnutrition. So here is the problem, in this age of pandemic, malnutrition because of the protein deficiency will make COVID-19 actually have a field day.”
He added that “Only 18 per cent of children that are six to 23 months are fed the minimum acceptable diet. So in Nigeria, we have food insecurity. We have a situation where we need to come up with a national policy and drive it because time is short.”
Dr Beatrice Oganah-Ikujenyo, a chief lecturer, Department of Home Economics, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, stated that although the target of the reviewed food and nutrition policy in 2016 was the problem of malnutrition and food insecurity in Nigeria, its implementation has been a challenge.
Oganah-Ikujenyo, a nutritionist, said barriers to the effective implementation of the food and nutrition policy had been a dearth of nutritionists, instability on government policy on nutrition and lack of goodwill from the government to drive nutrition policies.
– SADE OGUNTOLA
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