Rising food prices, inflation causing malnutrition, obesity – UI VC declares
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The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, has declared that an increment in the prices of food and inflation is causing undernutrition, obesity and other diet-related diseases.
Adebowale made this declaration during a stakeholder meeting held within the university campus.
Frank Talk Now gartered that prices of goods and services which included food items across the county have gone up.
Adebowale has, however, said that an increment in the prices of food items is having negative consequences on the lives of many Nigerians, especially low-income earners.
The Vice-Chancellor in his welcome address at the event themed, “Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Intake of Low-Income Populations in Nigeria and Vietnam Through Food System Innovations,” maintained that Nigeria is facing the challenge of various forms of malnutrition.
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He declared that diet-related non-communicable diseases are on the increase because many people cannot afford to purchase food items due to inflation.
He said that people who are experiencing poverty are disproportionately affected by rising food prices and rising inflation.
Adebowale said: “People experiencing poverty are disproportionately affected by rising food prices and rising inflation, such people are forced to employ coping strategies such as skipping meals, reducing the amount they eat, preparing meals with fewer nutritious foods, and buying cheaper, food options.
“In the midst of these, consuming adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables in the diet becomes a distant secondary concern, and the implications for health include undernutrition, obesity, and diet-related disease among those who are already struggling the most”.
An associate Professor of human nutrition, Mrs Folake Samuel in her remarks emphasized that fruits and vegetables are one of the most important interventions in human nutrition deficiencies.
She added that fruits and vegetables are not meant for high-income earners alone.
One of the researchers, Godwin Bamsa in his address said the research indicates that there is a need to take fruits in regulated quantities for a better and healthy lifestyle.
