Impact Of Nutrition On Nation's Productivity And Healthy Growth

%3Cdiv+style%3D%22text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fweblogs.baltimoresun.com%2Fhealth%2Fbinge%2520drinking.jpg%22+imageanchor%3D%221%22+style%3D%22clear%3A+left%3B+float%3A+left%3B+margin-bottom%3A+1em%3B+margin-right%3A+1em%3B%22%3E%3Cimg+alt%3D%22Impact+Of+Nutrition+On+Nation%27s+Productivity+And+Healthy+Growth%22+border%3D%220%22+height%3D%22320%22+id%3D%22il_fi%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fweblogs.baltimoresun.com%2Fhealth%2Fbinge%2520drinking.jpg%22+style%3D%22padding-bottom%3A+8px%3B+padding-right%3A+8px%3B+padding-top%3A+8px%3B%22+title%3D%22Impact+Of+Nutrition+On+Nation%27s+Productivity+And+Healthy+Growth%22+width%3D%22273%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3ENigeria+has+greatly+improved+socio-economically+unlike+her+past+years.+The+problem+of+malnutrition+still+cut+across+some+of+her+citizens.+She+has+been+long+hobbled+by+political+instability%2C+corruption%2C+inadequate+infrastructure+and+poor+macro-economic+management.+This+has+led+her+to+over+dependence+on+the+capital-intensive+oil+sector%2C+which+provides+20%25+of+GDP%2C+95%25+of+foreign+exchange+earnings%2C+and+about+65%25+of+budgetary+revenue.+But+certain+governmental+and+economic+reformation+has+brought+about+a+lot+of+improvement+ranging+from+an+estimated+increase+in+her+GDP+from+%24430+per+capita+in+2003+to+%241%2C000+in+2005.+Reducing+the+unemployment+rate+from+3.2%25+in+1997+to+2.9%25+in+2005.+The+adoption+of+micro-finance+banking%2C+and+bank+liquidation+and+consolidation+by+the+CBN%2C+resulted+in+the+rating+of+Nigerian+banks+as+one+of+the+best+in+Africa.+The+peak+of+the+whole+thing+was+the+historic+debt-relief+of+%2430+billion+worth+from+the+%2437+billion+own+by+Nigeria+to+the+Paris+Club+in+March+2006.In+spite+of+all+these+recent+development%2C+70%25+of+Nigerians+are+still+under+the+alienating+hands+of+malnutrition+and+60%25+in+2000+below+poverty+line.+I+have+categorized+the+Nigerian+nutritional+problem+for+the+sake+of+clarification+into+undernutrition%2C+overnutrition+and+micronutrition.+The+purpose+of+this+article+is+to+review+the+government+effort+and+also+suggest+ways+of+emanating+the+country+from+the+alienating+hands+of+poverty+that+threatens+the+country%27s+future.%0D%0A%0D%0ANUTRITIONAL+PROBLEMS.+%0D%0AThough+the+three+nutritional+problems+make+up+a+summary+of+the+country%27s+problem+of+malnutrition%2C+it+will+be+good+to+review+the+whole+problem+one+after+the+other.+Undernutrition+is+of+the+greatest+nutritional+problem+that+stricken+mostly+people+in+the+rural+areas+and+some+of+those+who+went+to+the+city+in+search+of+greener+pasture.+Undernutrition+is+characterized+by+inadequate+intake+of+macro-nutrients+%28namely%3A+calories+and+protein%29.+According+to+the+president+Obasanjo%2C+%22almost+half+of+children+ages+7%2B-13+in+Nigeria+are+underweight%22.+A+lot+of+children+and+adults+go+to+bed+starved%2C+some+take+one+meal+a+day+and+most+of+these+meals+are+carbohydrates.+This+leads+to+malnutrition+and+protein+deficiency.+It+is+the+main+cause+of+kwashiorkor+which+is+more+unique+to+people+living+in+the+tropical+African+region.+For+adults%2C+the+Recommended+Dietary+Allowance+%28RDA%29+for+protein+is+0.79g+per+Kg+%280.36g+per+1b%29+of+body+weight+each+day.+For+children+and+infants+this+RDA+is+doubled+and+tripled%2C+respectively%2C+because+of+their+rapid+growth.+This+is+the+root+cause+of+stunted+growth+and+deformation+in+growing+children.+One-fifth+of+Nigerian+children+die+before+the+age+of+five%2C+primarily+from+millions+of+Nigerians+are+also+living+below+one+dollar+a+day%2C+others+live+by+begging+for+food+on+the+streets.%0D%0A%0D%0AOvernutrition+is+mainly+the+problem+of+adults+and+few+adolescents+especially+the+urban+dwellers.+It+is+a+rapidly+escalating+public+nutrition+problem%2C+principally+reflecting+shift+in+dietary+patterns+and+more+sedimentary+lifestyles.+The+situation+in+Nigeria+where+economy+favor+a+particular+group+than+others%2C+the+poor+gets+poorer+while+the+rich+gets+richer+had+brought+about+a+higher+percentage+of+overnutrition-+Nigerian+big+man+disease.+This+nutritional+problem+is+now+in+an+alarming+rise+in+diet-related+chronic+disease+such+as+type+II+diabetes%2C+hypertension%2C+cardiovascular+diseases+and+several+diet-related+cancers.+These+chronic+diseases+accounted+for+human+suffering%2C+social+distress%2C+loss+of+productivity%2C+and+economic+burden+to+the+health+and+other+economic+sectors.+The+increase+in+population+obsessed+in+the+country+affects+the+country%27s+labour+force+and+the+productivity+of+the+country+both+at+present+and+in+the+near+future.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+last+but+not+the+list+is+micronutrient+deficiencies.+It+is+the+inadequate+intake+of+key+vitamins+and+minerals.+It+is+both+experienced+by+the+poor+and+the+rich%2C+rural+and+urban+dwellers.+It+is+hunger+hidden+under+the+guise+of+sufficiency+in+Nigerian+society.+Lack+of+vitamins+and+minerals+results+in+irreversible+impairment+to+child+physical+and+mental+development.+That+is+why+this+type+of+malnutrition+is+centered+on+pregnant+women+and+children.+According+to+some+empirical+conclusions%2C+it+is+observed+that+even+moderate+iodine+deficiency+during+foetal+development+and+infancy+has+been+shown+to+depress+intelligence+quotient+levels+by+10-15+points.+Folic+acid+deficiency+is+linked+to+serious+birth+defects.+Inadequate+iron+affects+children%27s+growth+and+learning+ability%2C+and+reduces+their+ability+to+concentrate%2C+fully+participate+in+school+and+society+interacts+and+develops%3B+it+also+contributes+to+material+mortality+and+lowered+workforce+productivity.+It+is+on+record+that+40%25+of+children+under+5years+of+age+suffers+vitamin+A+deficiency.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+three+major+nutritional+problem+in+Nigeria+place+a+great+challenge+on+the+country%27s+faltering+economy+has+led+to+declining+imports+of+costly+protein-rich+food%2C+oil+and+animal+feed.+Many+parents+now+abandon+the+task+of+breast-feeding+and+all+this+and+many+others+contribute+to+the+risk+of+malnutrition+in+Nigeria+and+more+so+now+she+is+undergoing+a+rapid+socioeconomic+revolution.%0D%0A%0D%0AGOVERNMENT+ACTION+PRIOR+TO+DEMOCRACY+%0D%0ANigeria+economy+was+dominated+by+Agriculture+and+trade%2C+which+flourished+during+the+colonial+rule+in+19th+century.+In+1960s+and+1970s+the+petroleum+industry+developed+and+prompted+greatly+increased+export+earnings+and+allowing+massive+investments+in+industry%2C+agriculture%2C+infrastructure+and+social+science.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+sharp+decline+in+oil+prices%2C+economic+mismanagement%2C+and+continued+military+rule+characterized+Nigeria+in+the+1980s.+In+1983%2C+the+U.S.+Agency+for+International+Development+%28USAID%29+began+providing+assistance+to+the+Nigerian+Federal+and+State+Ministries+of+Health+to+develop+and+implement+programs+in+family+planning+and+child+survival.+In+1992%2C+an+HIV%2FAIDS+prevention+and+control+program+was+added+to+existing+health+activities+USAID+committed+%24135+million+to+bilateral+assistance+programs+for+the+period+of+1986+to+1996+as+Nigeria+undertook+an+initially+successful+Structural+Adjustment+program%2C+but+later+abandoned+it.+Plans+to+commit+%24150+million+in+assistance+from+1993+to+2003+were+interrupted+by+strains+in+U.S.-Nigeria+relations+over+human+right+abuses%2C+the+failed+transition+to+democracy%2C+and+a+lack+of+cooperation+from+the+Nigerian+Government+on+anti-narcotics+trafficking+issues.+By+the+mid-1990s%2C+these+problems+resulted+in+the+curtailment+of+USAID+activities+that+might+benefit+the+military+government.+Existing+health+programs+were+redesigned+to+focus+on+working+through+grassroots+Nigerian+non-governmental+organizations+and+community+groups.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn+1987%2C+The+International+Institute+of+Tropical+Agriculture+%28IITA%29%2C+under+the+principal+Researcher+Dr+Kenton+Dashiell%2C+launched+an+ambiguous+effort+in+Nigeria+to+combat+widespread+malnutrition.+They+encouraged+the+use+of+nutrients%2C+economical+soybeans+in+everyday+food.+They+further+said+that+soybeans+are+about+40%25+protein-rich+than+any+of+the+common+vegetable+or+animal+food+sources+found+in+Africa.+With+the+addition+of+maize%2C+rice+and+other+cereals+to+the+soybeans%2C+the+resulting+protein+meets+the+standard+of+the+United+Nations+Food+and+Agricultural+Organization+%28FAO%29.+Soybeans+also+contain+about+20%25+oil%2C+which+is+85%25+unsaturated+and+cholesterol+free.+Though+a+lot+of+nice+programs+for+malnutrition+alleviation+started+at+this+period%2C+there+were+a+lot+of+other+socio-economic+thorns+that+hindered+the+popularity+and+proper+functioning+of+these+programs+till+the+democratic+period.+The+economic+instability+within+this+period+favored+malnutrition+to+a+great+extent+due+to+autocratic+government.+There+was+little+or+no+in-depth+effort+to+fight+malnutrition.+The+period+can+be+identified+as+the+egoistic+period-+when+the+governmental+private+interest+dominated+at+the+expense+of+the+suffering+masses.%0D%0A%0D%0ATHE+LATER+INTERVENTION+%0D%0AThe+most+interesting+part+of+this+period+is+that+it+is+characterized+by+promise+and+hope.+Promise+which+is+the+chief+working+tool+of+this+period+and+hope+ever+present+to+sustain+the+promise.+The+president+Obasanjo+in+2002+meeting+with+the+president+International+Union+of+Nutritional+Sciences+promised+to+support+a+better+coordination+of+nutritional+activities+and+programs+in+Nigeria%2C+he+further+said%2C+%22the+high+prevalence+of+malnutrition+is+totally+unacceptable+to+this+government+and+he+assured+the+IUNS+president+that+he+would+do+everything+possible+to+ensure+that+resources+are+available+to+improve+household+food+security%2C+greater+access+to+healthcare+services+and+better+caring+capacity+by+mothers+including+support+for+breast+feeding+promotion.%0D%0A%0D%0AOn+the+27th+September+2005%2C+Nigerian+president+chief+Olusegun+Obasanjo+lunched+the+Nasarawa+state+school+feeding+program+at+the+Laminga+primary+school.+The+program+is+fully+funded+and+administered+by+the+state+of+Nasarawa%2C+which+makes+it+a+unique+model+in+Africa+today.+The+epoch+making+event+is+in+fulfillment+of+one+of+the+promises+of+combating+malnutrition+especially+among+children+whom+he+observed+that+many+at+the+age+of+7-13years+are+underweight.+He+further+promise+to+reach+out+about+27million+children+during+the+coming+10years.%0D%0@%0D%0AOther+international+bodies+like+the+World+Health+Organization+%28WHO%29%2C+The+United+Nation+International+Children%27s+Fund+%28UNICEF%29%2C+The+United+States+Agency+for+International+Development+%28USAID%29+which+began+in+1992+but+took+more+root+during+democratic+regime.+All+of+them+and+many+more+are+fighting+acidly+to+eradicate+poverty+and+malnutrition.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere+are+a+lot+of+challenges+that+exist+in+some+nutrition+improvement+programs.+There+is+the+need+for+the+government+to+place+some+nutritional+research+into+the+national+policy.+They+should+be+able+to+reach+out+to+the+nook+and+cranny+of+the+country.+They+should+be+able+to+coordinating+all+the+sectors+of+anti-malnutrition+agencies.+A+more+effective+intervention+is+very+much+needed.%0D%0A%0D%0ANutrition+is+now+an+interventional+issues+a+stake+and+as+well+the+unavoidable+duty+of+each+nation.+Though+it+is+difficult+to+bring+solution+to+every+man%27s+door+but+the+government+should+try+as+much+as+possible+to+reach+people+through%2C+mobile+agencies%2C+and+mass+media.+There+should+be+a+lot+of+effective+research+conducted+in+the+nation+to+be+updated+with+information+such+as%3B+average+government+investment+in+nutrition+per+capital%2C+current+statues+of+nutrition+deficiencies%2C+and+information+on+nutrition+initiatives%2C+as+well+as+national+policy+frameworks+and+interagency+coordination+mechanisms.+There+is+need+to+promote+nutritional+organisation+especially%2C+non-governmental+organisation.+The+government+should+try+to+improve+the+socio-economic+life+of+the+people.+Agriculture+should+be+encouraged+and+improved+in+the+country.+There+should+be+a+check+on+the+nutritional+value+of+every+product+both+imported+and+non-imported+product.+The+Government+should+promote+a+global+nutrition+agenda%2C+which+would+increase+nutrition%27s+visibility+at+national+levels+and+beyond.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A