Nigeria: Country Faces Severe Nutrition Problems, According to New Index

1 December 2016

Nigeria's population faces significant nutritional shortfalls, according to the 2016 Food Sustainability Indexpublished wednesday by The Economist Intelligence Unit. Nigeria is ranked second last out of 25 countries, below Ethiopia and Indonesia, for the nutritional health of its population.

One-third of Nigerian children under five are "stunted", meaning they suffer reduced physical growth due to inadequate nutrition. "Hidden hunger"--a deficiency of micronutrients--is also a problem. Nigeria ranks 23rd out of 25 countries surveyed for vitamin A deficiency, with a prevalence of 29.5per cent. Nutrient deficiencies delay mental development in infants, reducing their ability to learn in later life, with a knock on-effect on school performance.

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