By Ijeoma UKAZU
Food and nutrition crisis has been listed as one of the major causes of high malnutrition in Nigeria, according to a United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, global report recently released. The report states that about 7.3 million Nigerian women of reproductive age are malnourished.
Experts say maternal malnutrition, especially during pregnancy, impacts heavily on the child, they add “maternal diet and nutrient stores are the only sources of nutrition for a developing baby”, stressing that women must get healthier and nutritious food before and during pregnancy.
Nutritionists state that babies who are malnourished in the womb have a higher risk of dying in infancy, and face more lifelong cognitive and physical deficits as well as chronic health problems.
The 1000 days window to the rescue
UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Ada Ezeogu said, the first 1000 days of a child’s life (a period from conception to the second birthday) is a period when the brain develops.
“At birth, the child’s brain develops 25 percent of adult size. At age 2, the brain develops at 55 – 75 of adult size, and at age 6, it develops over 90 percent of adult size. Good nutrition during these first 1000 days provides the building blocks for healthy brain development as it is also a window of opportunity to enable all children to reach their full potential.”
Ezeogu adds “Brain development begins early in pregnancy. By 4th week of pregnancy, the brain has about 10,000 cells and by the 24th week, it contains 10 billion cells. This incredible transformation is dependent on the nutrient the baby gets from his/her mother.”
The nutrients needed by the mother, Ezeogu said include folic acid, iron, zinc, and iodine as well as protein and fatty acids which the mother gets through her diet and or supplementation. She warns, “The absence of one or more of these nutrients during pregnancy, places the baby at risk for developmental delays, birth defects, and cognitive defects.”
“The first 1000 days are a window of opportunity to build more equal beginnings and put all children on track to flourish. When all children are protected from disease, violence, and toxic stress, they have the best chance at a thriving future.
“And when children get a strong start, we all benefit. What we do – or don’t do –now to build every child’s potential will determine their future – and ours,” she adds.
Continuing, the UNICEF Nutrition Specialist states “The most important organs develop before a mother knows for sure she is pregnant. For example; the brain, eyes, ears, heart – so malnutrition of the mother can result in disability of the baby or even a miscarriage.” Hence, the need for women of reproductive age to invest in and consume nutrient-rich foods at all times.
Southwest malnutrition situation
In Southwest, Nigeria, the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, MICS 6 report, shows that all states in the region demonstrated poor outcomes in the prevalence of stunting – (children who are too short for their age) and wasting – (a child that is too thin for his or her height).
The MICS 6 data was launched in 2022 but conducted in 2021 by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in collaboration with UNICEF and other development agencies.
In Nigeria, 12 million children under 5 are stunted as a result of malnutrition. Of those, about half become stunted during pregnancy and the first six months of life, according to the UNICEF global nutrition crisis reports on adolescent girls and women.
Highlighting the data on stunting, Oyo state ranks highest with 34.5 percent, and Ogun state has 26.6 percent of its children still stunted. Followed by Osun with 23.7 percent, Ekiti state with 22.3 percent, Ondo state has 20.4 percent and Lagos state having the least stunted children at 17.2 percent.
For wasting, Ekiti and Ondo States have 3.3 percent respectively and that is the lowest in South-West states. Oyo has 3.9 percent, Osun 4.5 percent and Ogun has 5.7 percent, and Lagos state with 6.4 percent with the highest prevalence among children under 5 years of age.
Meanwhile, the Sustainable Development Goals, SDG target 2.2 seeks to end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age and addressing the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, and older persons.
Building a healthy start
Ada Ezeogu, during her presentation recently at a media advocacy meeting, explained that mothers need to be aware of the importance of the first 1000 days of their children’s lives.
She reiterated that from conception to the child’s second birthday, the foundation is laid for lifelong health, adding that nutrition in the first 1000 days impacts how our bodies and our immune systems develop and how it influences our predisposition to diseases later in life.
According to her, there is evidence suggesting that the health effects of poor nutrition and adverse experiences early in life can pass from one generation to the next.
“We are seeing the impact of this advocacy, but it’s slow. For instance, looking at breastfeeding compared within 10 years, we have moved from 22 to 24 percent but have yet to meet the international target, which is 50 percent,” says Ada Ezeogu.
Addressing the menace
To address the menace, the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Lagos, in collaboration with UNICEF, organized a two-day media advocacy meeting for COVAX and Routine Immunisation uptake in Lagos. This move is necessary to improve the maternal and child health indices in the zone using the media.
With a focus on improving child survival during the first 1000 days, UNICEF, Social Behavioural Change Specialist, Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole said giving a child a great start begins from the day the child is conceived in the womb, delivered and cared for in a clean and protected manner.
Akinola-Akinwole adds that the strengthening of Nigeria’s health system by identifying bottlenecks, prioritizing actions, and building capacities at primary health care and community levels has shown dramatic reductions in under-five deaths and improvements in coverage and access to care.
While highlighting the proven practices that improved results along the first 1000 days, she states, “There should be improved linkages with early childhood development centers in communities with primary care clinics, including building capacities of these practitioners for growth monitoring, improved early identification of problems in children, and referrals to care.
She explained that the media has the power to influence the populace by providing the necessary and factual information about the first 1000 days’ reality, prevalence, and impact on a child’s nutrition and development in Nigeria.
“We will keep engaging the media, and we urge for more to provide continuous and consistent information on emerging issues around 1000 days, educate the public, and leverage on regular channels of interaction with caregivers,” she adds.