WITH food and nutrition, studies have shown that the food consumption patterns are becoming more similar with shifts towards more expensive foods, such as meat and dairy products. Complex carbohydrates, such as starches, have decreased and refined sugars increased. “The consumption of sugars has increased fifty fold with up to 15% of energy intake coming from refined sugar. The majority of sugar is in processed foods and drinks, rather than added to food by the consumer. The fat content of the diet has increased from 20% to 40%”. Meat and dairy consumption have risen in Nigeria. On the other hand, fruit and vegetable production has not been growing sufficiently, particularly in Africa.
Professor Okoye said only a life-course approach can be used to improve as well as actions towards older children and adolescents.
She urged people to counteract the extensive advertising and other forms of food marketing to children, shift from saturated fat to unsaturated so as to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, increase the consumption of fruits, legumes, grains, nuts and vegetables, reduce the intake of free sugar and salt, promote awareness about healthy diet.
In furtherance, she said Tobacco is leading preventable cause of death worldwide as World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that tobacco is currently responsible for the global killin of smoke free environment in indoor work places, public places and garages, public enlightenment and warning of the populace about the dangers of tobacco, banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and increase in the priority giving to tobacco control.
She however commended the new development on the National Tobacco Control Bill passed recently to ensure that smoking in public places is banned.
She told National Daily that alcohol consumption is linked “with liver disease, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, alcoholic gastritis, alcohol-induced pancreatitis and recent evidence indicates strong association of harmful use of alcohol with such infectious diseases as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, thus, increasing the double burden of disease”.
To prevent harmful use of alcohol, she said, there should be regulation on the availability of alcoholic beverages, including minimum legal purchase age, drink-driving counter measures; warning must be included in each advertisement and sanctions for infringements of the law.
Okoye admonished physical activity as it is associated with lower rates of all cause mortality, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, colon cancer, Bosom cancer, vertebral and hip fracture, and depression. Physical activity also contributes to the prevention of unhealthy weight gain. She encouraged people to everyday walk and cycling as a means of transportation
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