2 October 2008
Lagos — Nutritionists have advised Nigerians to desist from eating "junk" foods in view of the hazards they pose to human health.
The nutritionists said the advice became necessary now that the Ramadan was over as the tendency to eat more was apparent, particularly among those who had observed the fast.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, an Assistant Director, Family Health and Nutrition, at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Abimbola Ajayi, said it was important for people to have adequate knowledge about what they consumed.
Ajayi stressed that knowing what to eat at different stages of development and their health implications was very important.
The nutritionist further explained that the knowledge of what nature had put in place for the body to function well was also very important.
"Junk foods can cause coronary heart diseases, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and even cancer," he warned. According to her, junk, or unwholesome foods are rich in harmful ingredients like fat, sugar, salt and preservatives that can cause serious medical complications.
"Pastries, chicken with skin, ice cream, potato chips, hamburger and red meat are high in calories and low in nutritional values," she added.
The nutritionist therefore, advised Nigerians to eat more of fruits and vegetables.
She explained that such foods were rich in antioxidants and vitamins which lower the risk of coronary heart diseases.
Ajayi also advised breast feeding mothers to be mindful of their food intake because their babies depended on them for survival and proper development.
In a separate interview, a lecturer in Food and Nutrition, Mrs. Titilayo Adebanjo, urged the government to set up policy intervention programmes that would promote the consumption of healthy foods.
Mrs. Adebanjo said such policy would ensure that all foods, drinks and beverages consumed in the country were available, acceptable and affordable.
She advocated sensitisation programmes to increase awareness among children and adults on the need to keep fit and to avoid the consumption of unwholesome food in the country.
"People should avoid eating street food because apart from lacking in nutrients, they are also prone to contamination, which can result to food poisoning," she added.
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