By Ijeoma UKAZU
The importance of food and the concept of adequate nutrition can never be over-emphasised as it is the bedrock of good health and well-being.
Experts say, for Nutrition to be tagged adequate, it must contain the right proportions of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, along with the recommended daily allowances of all essential minerals, vitamins, and health-promoting substances.
A healthy diet throughout life promotes healthy pregnancy outcomes, supports normal growth, development and ageing, helps to maintain healthy body weight, and reduces the risk of chronic disease leading to overall health and well-being.
For this reason, Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria, CS-SUNN in collaboration with the Lagos state government has inaugurated the Lagos State Local Government Committee on Food and Nutrition, Lagos-GCFN.
The aim of this committee is as follows: Increase exclusive breastfeeding rate from 57.4 per cent to 65 per cent by 2025; Increase the percentage of children who receive a Minimum Acceptable Diet from 18.6 per cent to 65 per cent by 2025.
Furthermore, Reduce stunting rate among under-five children from 17.3 per cent to <10 per cent by 2025; Reduce childhood wasting including Severe Acute Malnutrition, SAM, from 6.6 per cent to 5 per cent in 2025 and attain the highest standard of health for All for optimal Human Capital Development. Currently, Lagos state is yet to attain the breastfeeding goal for the first 1000 days of life. Also, the state is yet to fulfil its target for complementary feeding target is well as not able to eradicate malnutrition in the state. The newly inaugurated Lagos State Local Government Committee on Food and Nutrition, Lagos-GCFN, would be saddled with the responsibility of reaching women at the grassroots with information on the importance of food and nutrition to their children and general well-being. Speaking in Lagos during the inauguration of the Lagos-GCFN members of the Orile-Agege local government area, LGA, the Chairman of the LGA, Honourable Johnson Sunday Babatunde said that the responsibilities of the nutrition committee include; "Providing necessary technical and professional assistance, carry out programs that have a potential impact on food and nutrition issues." Other responsibilities include: "Ensuring that the representatives of relevant sectors on the committee undertake the effective implementation of their various policies and programs, Supporting the State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, MEPB, in the maintenance of continuous advocacy for food and nutrition issues as well as managing a database of nutrition activities amongst others." Babatunde added that the committee would also be engaged in sensitisation the public on the importance of food and nutrition as a well-balanced diet will in the long run be beneficial to the health and well-being of the people. Lending her voice, the Lagos state Nutrition Officer, Mrs Olubunmi Braheem said that the first 1000 days of life are very crucial to the development of a child and part of what these committee members would be doing is to sensitise pregnant women and mothers on its nutrition importance. She adds that "According to research, brain development stops at 2 years, what happens after that age is brain expansion. Adequate nutrition before this age is paramount." Braheem called on mothers to focus more on the growth and development of their children, adding that they should give them more fruits and vegetables instead of artificial drinks and snacks. Earlier during his welcome address, the Executive Secretary, CS-SUNN, Mr Sunday Okoronkwo said that "Lagos state has always set agenda for other states to follow in terms of nutrition. "CS-SUNN is once again honoured to work with Lagos state to kick start critical coordination to the promotion of nutrition in the state. The Local Government Committee on Food and Nutrition, Lagos-GCFN, is an arm of a structure and its absence will hamper the effective coordination of nutrition intervention in the state. "We are happy with the collaboration together with other partners to see that Orile-Agege local government area is the first for this intervention and we hope that after today, this would also be replicated in other local governments in the state as that is the only way we can promote optimal nutrition and eradicate malnutrition in the state."