NSN said the nutritional status of many Nigerians is still far from expected, as the prevalence of all forms of malnutrition remains high. Speaking at a Nutrition Education Programme in Lagos, President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof Ngozi Nnam said about 37 per cent of Nigerian children were stunted, 29 per cent underweight and 18 per cent wasted while micronutrient deficiencies were also high.
She said: “While we are grappling with the challenge of under nutrition, the incidence of obesity and related manifestations of over-nutrition are beginning to emerge at relatively significant levels.”
Nnam noted that nutrition is the bedrock of development and that for an individual to develop well that individual needs to be in the state of good nutritional status.
“And it’s only people that eat well, and combine their food well, and they are in the state of good nutritional status can reach their desire potentials in life, and will be able to make significant contribution to the development of the nation.
“Poverty rate is not the major cause of malnutrition in Nigeria because, most of these people we say are “poor”, around their environments, they have fruits that could really make them be in good nutritional status. The problem is not poverty, the problem is that they lack nutrition knowledge.
“Also let’s take fats and oil for instance: adding vegetable oil or fortified margarine improves the taste of our meals, gives us the feeling of satisfaction. I must also encourage Nigerians to ensure they consume foods that are fortified with essential micronutrients such as fortified margarine, iodized salt, fortified flours and others.
“It is important we clarify the dynamics of food intake and healthy weights. When we eat properly in ways that meet our daily energy and nutrient needs we maintain healthy weights? This means our food intake matches our daily nutrient needs considering our physiological requirements and physical activity levels,” she said.
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