TheCitizen - It's all about you
  • Home
  • Headlines
  • Latest News
  • Governance
  • Business
  • Financial Crimes
  • Opinion
  • Editorials
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Headlines
  • Latest News
  • Governance
  • Business
  • Financial Crimes
  • Opinion
  • Editorials
No Result
View All Result
TheCitizen - It's all about you
No Result
View All Result

Three essential elements of a protein-centred national nutrition policy

The Editor by The Editor
January 4 2021
in Opinion
A A
0
Soybean: The ‘Miracle Bean’ against protein deficiency
22
SHARES
734
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Veronica Eneh Ejembi

Nutrition, whether at the individual, domestic or national level, is an essential part of health and development that cannot be overemphasized. Achieving optimal nutrition is critical to any nation. This is particularly true for the nutritionally vulnerable (pregnant women and their unborn children, elderly, children under five, immune-compromised individuals and people living with chronic illnesses). A country’s health index can be used to predict its economic potential and development projection. Since it has been established that the health status of a country is important, there is the need to have a nutrition policy in place to enable it tackle emergent health issues.

A policy is a statement of intent proposed by an organisation or an individual to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. Policies are necessary tools for addressing issues and one of such policies that are essential is a nutritional policy. A nutritional policy is an agreed statement by an authoritative body (usually the government) of its intent to act to maintain or alter the food supply, nutritional status or some indicator in the society. Often, nutritional policies are created and implemented as planning tools to ensure population health optimisation, or created as a response to a population health need.

No doubt, implementing a protein-centred nutrition policy will help influence people’s attitude towards consuming protein-rich foods and limit illnesses associated with protein deficiency. Besides, a nutritional policy will help change certain cultural behaviours like giving the head of a household a large portion of available protein foods, considering protein a ‘luxury food’ and not prioritising protein in one’s diet.

Globally, national nutrition policies have had a positive impact on health. For example, the wheat flour fortification programme in Jordan where the staple flour is fortified with iron and folic acid then later with zinc, niacin and vitamins A and B. The United States of America also had a programme to influence the increase in consumption of dairy. In Nigeria, iodine deficiency was also combated by increasing the public’s education of the benefits of iodine in diet. These examples show that having a protein-centred national nutrition policy may indeed be the way to go in tackling protein deficiency in Nigeria.

To develop and implement a protein-centred nutrition policy in Nigeria, certain frameworks should be in place. These guidelines were discussed by medical experts and nutritionists at the recently held Protein Challenge Webinar Series 6 themed ‘The Case for a Protein-Centred National Nutrition Policy.’

Here are three pillars that should be a part of such a policy:

Education About Protein Benefits
A lot of people lack the necessary information about the benefits of protein and this has hampered its consumption. Education about protein should not be restricted to classrooms and in theory only. Head of households, key nutrition decision makers and homemakers should be educated at community centres, primary health centres and religious places on the benefits of including protein in the family diets. The woman functions as a gatekeeper in the home and educating her on the need for protein-rich foods and the risks associated with not eating enough protein will help influence the consumption of proteins in the home.

Availability of Protein-rich Foods
Protein-rich foods need to be prioritised and made available for consumption. This can be achieved if agricultural and food production policies support farmers by providing them with fertilizers, transportation, storage and processing facilities. Initiatives like these will encourage more farmers to plant and produce more protein-rich plants and rear animal proteins that are affordable for people to purchase and consume.

Affordability of Protein Food Sources
Most people tend to ignore protein foods because of the assumption that they are expensive. In a way, most animal proteins are pricey. It is therefore imperative to ensure constant availability of protein-rich foods as this will drive down cost and take care of price. Besides, the government can introduce subsidies to make certain protein foods affordable to a point where every household can afford to consume protein at every meal.

Nutritional policies, when implemented effectively have shown that there is a positive shift in the direction aimed for. This proves that creating and implementing a protein-centred nutrition policy would be a great step towards eradicating protein deficiency in Nigeria.

This protein-centred nutrition policy needs to target education, availability and affordability of protein-rich foods. Protein deficiency will become a thing of the past in Nigeria with the effective implementation of a protein-centred national nutrition policy.

Share9Tweet6
Previous Post

Stanbic IBTC continues to impact lives through CSI initiatives

Next Post

England imposes six-week lockdown after COVID surge

Related Posts

Tinubu cancels national broadcast, to address Nigerians from N’Assembly
Opinion

Tinubu, The Audacity To Hope: Two years after

June 12 2025
Supreme Court affirms Mbah as Enugu State Governor
Opinion

2027: Mbah, PDP and newfound political romance in Enugu

May 17 2025
Nigeria should emulate India’s blueprint for development
Opinion

Nigeria should emulate India’s blueprint for development

April 21 2025
Much ado about immortalising Humphrey Nwosu
Opinion

Much ado about immortalising Humphrey Nwosu

March 31 2025
Exit of Sahel Republics from ECOWAS – Vanguard
Opinion

ECOWAS @ 50: The Mythology, Reality and the So What?

March 16 2025
Why are the steps of peace lame towards Sudan?
Opinion

Why are the steps of peace lame towards Sudan?

February 22 2025
Next Post
Boris Johnson locks down England as coronavirus surges

England imposes six-week lockdown after COVID surge

Joshua agrees to Fury fight in 2021

Confident Fury hopes to knock out Joshua inside two rounds

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

FROM THE GRASSROOTS

Gunmen attack Soludo’s LG, kill four, burn security vehicle

Gunmen attack Soludo’s LG, kill four, burn security vehicle

by The Editor
July 9 2025
0

...

Olubadan dies at 90

Olubadan dies at 90

by The Editor
July 8 2025
0

...

Lagos Assembly summons AG over delayed implementation of LG law

Lagos Assembly summons AG over delayed implementation of LG law

by The Editor
July 1 2025
0

...

Boston Museum returns looted artefacts to Oba of Benin

Boston Museum returns looted artefacts to Oba of Benin

by The Editor
June 29 2025
0

...

APPOINTMENTS

Reasons for resignation emerge as Ganduje leaves office as APC National Chairman

Keyamo unveils Ganduje as FAAN board chair

by The Editor
July 9 2025
0

...

Gunmen abduct passengers in Ondo

Ondo Assembly confirms 15 commissioner-nominees

by The Editor
July 1 2025
0

...

Dalori takes over as APC acting chairman

Dalori takes over as APC acting chairman

by The Editor
June 28 2025
0

...

Sierra Leone President succeeds Tinubu as new ECOWAS Chairman

Sierra Leone President succeeds Tinubu as new ECOWAS Chairman

by The Editor
June 22 2025
0

...

ODDITIES

Three masqueraders land in prison for flogging Enugu residents

Three masqueraders land in prison for flogging Enugu residents

by The Editor
June 29 2025
0

Police Inspector loses life by accidental discharge from son

Police Inspector loses life by accidental discharge from son

by The Editor
June 17 2025
0

Truck runs into Christmas procession in Gombe

Gombe perm sec, four others die from electrocution

by The Editor
June 14 2025
0

GLOBAL NEWS

Kenya’s President orders police to shoot protesters

Kenya’s President orders police to shoot protesters

by The Editor
July 9 2025
0

...

Trump woos five West African leaders in White House meeting

Trump woos five West African leaders in White House meeting

by The Editor
July 9 2025
0

...

Denmark fights AI by giving citizens copyright to their faces, voices

Denmark fights AI by giving citizens copyright to their faces, voices

by The Editor
July 9 2025
0

...

US cuts Nigerians’ visa validity to three months

US cuts Nigerians’ visa validity to three months

by The Editor
July 9 2025
0

...

UK introduces eVisas for Nigerian study, work visa applicants

UK introduces eVisas for Nigerian study, work visa applicants

by The Editor
July 9 2025
0

...

State of the States

Zamfara clears ₦13.9bn gratuity arrears to retirees

Zamfara clears ₦13.9bn gratuity arrears to retirees

by The Editor
July 9 2025
0

...

Bandits snatch Xmas foodstuffs, drinks from man on bike

Kaduna debunks curfew rumour in Kakuri community

by The Editor
July 1 2025
0

...

Kogi schools to reopen Sept 14

FG grants Kogi govt 15 mining licences to tap mineral resources

by The Editor
June 28 2025
0

...

Lagos govt denies involvement in demolition of Obi’s brother’s property

Lagos govt denies involvement in demolition of Obi’s brother’s property

by The Editor
June 26 2025
0

...

Plugin Install : Widget Tab Post needs JNews - View Counter to be installed
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Kenya’s President orders police to shoot protesters

Kenya’s President orders police to shoot protesters

July 9 2025
Trump woos five West African leaders in White House meeting

Trump woos five West African leaders in White House meeting

July 9 2025
Fraud: We’re working with Interpol to nab those behind CBEX, says EFCC

Senate orders full probe into N1.3trn CBEX ponzi scandal

July 9 2025
PSG humiliate Real Madrid to reach Club World Cup final

PSG humiliate Real Madrid to reach Club World Cup final

July 9 2025

EDITORIAL REVIEW

Tinubu sticking to anti-masses policy, says Afenifere

Fuel subsidy windfall without impact – Punch

by The Editor
July 9 2025
0

Overhaul Nigeria’s prisons – Punch

Overhaul Nigeria’s prisons – Punch

by The Editor
July 3 2025
0

ICPC secures conviction against aviation worker over fake employment

Second term bid interfering with governance – Punch

by The Editor
July 1 2025
0

The 2027 deadline for CBT examinations – The Sun

The 2027 deadline for CBT examinations – The Sun

by The Editor
June 22 2025
0

Maryam Abacha’s forged revisionism – Punch

Maryam Abacha’s forged revisionism – Punch

by The Editor
June 22 2025
0

Opinion

Tinubu cancels national broadcast, to address Nigerians from N’Assembly

Tinubu, The Audacity To Hope: Two years after

by The Editor
June 12 2025
0

...

Supreme Court affirms Mbah as Enugu State Governor

2027: Mbah, PDP and newfound political romance in Enugu

by The Editor
May 17 2025
0

...

Nigeria should emulate India’s blueprint for development

Nigeria should emulate India’s blueprint for development

by The Editor
April 21 2025
0

...

Much ado about immortalising Humphrey Nwosu

Much ado about immortalising Humphrey Nwosu

by The Editor
March 31 2025
0

...

Plugin Install : Popular Post Widget need JNews - View Counter to be installed
  • Home
  • Headlines
  • Latest News
  • Governance
  • Business
  • Financial Crimes
  • Opinion
  • Editorials

© 2024 TheCitizen Ng. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Headlines
  • Latest News
  • Governance
  • Business
  • Financial Crimes
  • Opinion
  • Editorials

© 2024 TheCitizen Ng. All Rights Reserved.