Health

Key Actors Want Action on Bane of Good Nutrition

By Web News 602

Addressing poverty, insecurity and economic challenges will enhance good nutrition nationwide, especially among women and children.

This was the submission of Stakeholders at a programme on Advocacy, Orientation and Consultative with High-Level Nutrition State Actors on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition Programme Coordination and Implementation.

The event was held at the Oyo State Ministry of Health Conference Room, Ibadan.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning of Oyo State and Chairman of Nutrition  Programme in the State, Mr Ademola Ajibola explained that for the country to achieve a balanced diet, it was necessary to encourage people to engage in small farming activities in their environments to reduce cases of Malnutrition.

“For us to get a balanced diet I think it is important for to us encourage small farming in our household. When we have a small farm at the back of our house it would be useful for us to complement the ones we bought at the market”.

Speaking in the same vein, Chairman, Oluyole Local Government, Mr Olaide Settle emphasized that governments needed to look inward for other approaches to achieve good nutrition and create sensitization programmes at the grassroots.

Also speaking, a pharmacist, Zubairu Umaru from the Federal Ministry of Health said the government is saddled with the responsibility of reducing malnutrition in the country with the procurement of ready-to-use therapeutic food to malnourished children.

 “Our target is to reduce malnutrition to the barest minimum we cannot completely eliminate malnutrition and we would reduce it by 20 percent due to economic and poverty challenges.

Mr Umar who commended Oyo State Government for giving priority to nutrition in its yearly budget noted that the state had the highest number of malnourished children in the Southwest.

“The visit to Oyo State was because it has the highest burden of malnutrition in Southwest, and secondly, I want to commend Governor Seyi Makinde for keying into nutrition funding by including it in its yearly budget”.

Oyo state Coordinator of Nutrition, Mrs Omolara Oladeji said Nutrition is a collective effort in tackling the menace of malnutrition.

 “I want all hands to be on deck to reduce malnutrition in Oyo “

Mrs  Oladeji noted that  Oyo State was selected among the 12 States to implement the nutrition project, and appreciated Governor Makinde for his efforts on it.

Fasilat Lawal.

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Nutrition

Nutrition: Key to Health and Wealth

By Web News 1288

By Adebukola Aluko

Nutrition is the study of how foods and drinks affect our bodies with special regard to the essential nutrients necessary to support human health.

It looks at the physiological and biochemical processes involved in nourishment and how substances in food provide energy or are converted into body tissues.

An important part of the study of nutrition is looking at the diseases that can result from malnutrition and the role food plays in the development of chronic diseases.

Nutrition explains why we choose to eat the food we eat, even when we know it may not be good for us.

Now with this background, we need to understand the work of a nutritionist.

Nutritionists advise people on what to eat and how to modify their diet so they can maintain or restore optimal health or to help relieve ill health and combat disease.

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.”

La Rochefoucauld

These nutrients which are the source of energy for our bodies are classified as:

Carbohydrates, (bread, yam, potatoes, rice etc),

Fat and oil, (butter, cheese, Vegetable oil etc),

Vitamins & Minerals (fruits, such as orange banana, pineapple, vegetables like spinach, carrot, okra cabbage, onions etc),

Proteins, (beans, meat, chicken, milk, fish) and Water (potable drinking water).


What is good nutrition?

This means obtaining the right amount of nutrients from healthy foods in the right combinations.

Poor nutrition can lead to lack of energy, digestive problems, food allergies, weight gain, weight loss, depression and anxiety as well as many of today’s most prevalent chronic diseases like Coronary Heart Disease and Cancers.

In essence, having nutritional knowledge and making informed choices about the foods you eat can help you achieve optimum health over your lifetime.

Why is Nutrition Important?

Most people know that good nutrition and physical activity can help maintain a healthy weight, however, the benefits of good nutrition go beyond weight.

Good nutrition can help:

• Reduce the risk of some diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, some cancers.

• Reduce high blood pressure.

• Lower high cholesterol in the body.

• Improve your general well-being.

• Improve your ability to fight off illnesses.

• Improve your ability to recover from illness or injury.

• Increase your energy level.

It is advised that you plan your meals and snacks to include nutrient-dense foods that are also low in calories.

Remember, “you are what you eat”, so, eat right to live long.