Josephine Okojie
Nutritionists and public health experts have called for the enactment of a national policy and sensitisation of Nigerians on the importance of protein consumption to tackle the high rate of protein deficiency in the country.
The experts spoke at a recent webinar on Nigeria’s Food Culture and the Challenges of Protein Deficiency organised by the Protein Deficiency Awareness.
“We need to sensitise our communities on the importance of protein consumption taking into cognizance the knowledge, attitude, and practices of the various ethnic groups,” Omadeli Boyo, medical director, Pinecrest Specialist Hospital. and a public health expert said.
Boyo said there must be awareness campaign regarding the benefits of meals rich in proteins through cooperatives, traditional institutions, religious organisation, town, and labour unions among others.
He also called on government at all levels to enact policy that will ensure that children are educated from early childhood through to universities on the importance of protein.
He added that food is part of culture and is a reflection of the way of life of a people.
According to him, culture change can be very difficult and can only happen over time using various tools such as; studies of the knowledge, attitude, and practices of the various ethnic groups.
He noted that it is very difficult to change the food culture of Nigerians which is mainly carbohydrate form of foods as humans always resist change to what they are already used to.
He says most Nigerian families can hardly afford foods with high nutritional value, forcing them to feed mostly on starchy foods which are very high in carbohydrates and are often cheaper.
He defined protein as nutrients needed by the human body for growth and maintenance as well as used in membranes, such as glycoproteins.
He added that when proteins are broken down into amino acids, they are used as precursors to nucleic acid, co-enzymes, hormones, immune response, cellular repair, and other molecules essential for life.
He stated that bean is the most commonly consumed protein-rich food because of the high cost of animal form of proteins.
Boyo added that the timing of food is also very important and that Nigeria does not have a well-known and acceptable time of food while calling on the government to develop a national food culture.
Protein deficiency is today a major cause of malnutrition which is described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as ‘the gravest single threat to the world’s public health.’
Lanre Fasakin, MD, Communication and Market Research Group Limited (CMRG) – a leading research firm, while speaking on the outcome of a recent protein deficiency survey conducted by his firm in the country, said that Nigerians appreciate the essence of protein with health and wellbeing.
Fasakin says the study finds that despite Nigerians have high knowledge of protein-based foods, carbohydrate form of foods still account for the larger proportions of what they eat.
He noted that affordability and availability are the two key factors that are drivers of the kind of food Nigerians consume.
“The study finds that 1 in every 5 households eat their carbohydrates without any form of protein. And it finds that one-quarter do not consume all the six leading protein food in their household,” he said.
Similarly, Ezekiel Ibrahim, president, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) said that the high rate of poverty in the country has prevented Nigerians from consuming foods that are rich in either plant or animal protein.
He called on the government to build an effective and efficient agricultural sector to improve farmers’ yields per hectare, thus, driving down the prices of food.
He noted that the prices an egg in the country is quite expensive at N30, saying it is supposed to be sold for at most N5, but owing to the high cost of production, farmers cannot afford to sell at that price and remain in business.
