Prioritize exclusive breastfeeding now  : mitigate deaths among infants – experts warn

To tackle undernutrition among the vulnerable populations in Nigeria, Nutrition Experts, have advised that essential micronutrients necessary for preventing stunting, wasting, and underweight be incorporated and fortified in foods and beverages, especially with the present economic situation where families finds it difficult to afford their daily meals.

One of them, the Nestle Institute Nutrition Expert for Central West African Region, Dr Kanalio Olaloku, who made the call recently at the annual symposium of the Health Writers Association of Nigeria, HEWAN, said to support the family, at this trying times and  ensure maximum impact, the fortified products must be affordable and accessible.

She noted that food micronutrient levels should be carefully calibrated to provide at least 15 percent of daily requirements while remaining below the upper intake limits to prevent over-consumption and potential adverse effects.

Presenting a paper entitled “Adequate Nutrition as Preventative Medicine,” Olaloku said, “Malnutrition is a broad term encompassing both undernutrition and over-nutrition, explaining in details that ” Undernutrition refers to insufficient intake of essential nutrients, leading to conditions like stunting, wasting, and underweight “.

“Conversely, over-nutrition results from excessive food consumption, contributing to overweight, obesity, and related health issues.” nothing that, ” the World Health Organization, WHO categorizes malnutrition as including these conditions, as well as deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, and their associated diseases “.

Expressing dismay that Nigeria continues to struggle with poor chronic indicators, she quotes the WHO, as describing nutrition as ”  the intake of food considered in relation to the body’s dietary need of cells “.

“According to the WHO, food provides the body with energy, protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals to live, grow and function properly. Good nutrition and physical activity is the cornerstone of both good physical and mental health.

Good nutrition means your body gets all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to work its best,” she remarked.

“Generally, malnutrition refers to poor intake of food which may be an excess consumption of food (over-nutrition) or inadequate nutrient consumption (undernutrition).

Kanalio stated that, the unregulated distribution of breastmilk substitutes, compounded by limited access to clean water during crises, significantly increases the risk of malnutrition and death among infants and young children.

Calling for prioritization of exclusive breastfeeding practices, she noted that provision of essential support can mitigate the risks and help bridge the gap between the most vulnerable and those with greater access to resources.

Another expert, the National Coordinator Academic and Research Network, Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria, University of Abuja, Professor. Kola Anigo, at another forum emphasized that the challenges of malnutrition required a paradigm shift to focus attention on both prevention and treatment immediately for significant progress in nutrition in Nigeria.

He explained that, Providing resources and guidance to facilitate the delivery of nutrition policy and plans at national and sub-national levels is critical pointing out that, ” approving the creation of Nutrition departments to ensure continuous funding to scale up cost-effective, life-saving nutrition interventions is the way to go “.

” The consequences of Malnutrition are enormous as Human Capital Index Project, had attempted to quantify the contribution of health, including nutrition, and education to the next generation of workers, nothing that, ” Nigeria ranks 152 out of 157 countries, indicating a low human capital index that calls for serious concern and actions “. Anigo

Professor Anigo says, even when the child is born, there’s what we call 1,000 days of life.

The first 1,000 days which is from conception to two years, is a very critical period when the brain cell develops, “ If the necessary nutrients and environment is not provided, if the child misses that at that point, whatever compromise or impairment that has happened to the brain development cannot be reversed “

 ” That is why most of the interventions are also targeted at the mother and the child within that 1,000 days of life because it’s a very critical period “. He concluded.

Julie Ekong