The media has been called upon to promote local foods in a bid to ensure quality nutrition among the populace.
Ms Catherine Adu-Asare, Programmes Manager of the Diet and Healthy Life Programme of the Ghana Health Service, said the nutrition landscape was changing from healthy diets to unhealthy foods as nation witnessed a shift from traditional to modern foods.
She said the increase in lifestyle diseases and obesity connected to mostly ultra processed foods, had majority lacking key components such as fiber.
Ms Adu-Asare made the call while engaging media practitioners in the Volta Region at a three-day workshop on nutrition organised by the Africa Catalysing Action for Nutrition, a non-for-profit organisation with a focus on delivering a “healthy and well-nourished Africa.”
She noted a growing trajectory of undernourishment and obesity and said young people registering Non-Communicable Diseases showed the shift in disease burden.
“We are gradually transitioning into a triple burden – Obesity, iron deficiency, over nourishment, undernourishment among the under five children.
The concept of locally available foods is very important. It is very sustainable and so, the media should promote these local foods.”
Ms Adu-Asare said the seasonability and price should be considered in promoting local delicacies, adding that there existed lots of wild fruits that should be publicised to help enhance food security.
Among reasons for malnutrition, according to the Programme Manager, were low physical activity, cultural influences, and traditional food practices that affected consumption.
Food taboos, economic factors, peer influence, and changing environmental patterns counted among factors limiting food availability and choices, and the media’s role in buying habits was also emphasised.
AfriCan’s three-day training workshop brought together media practitioners from across the various fields of practice and provided enhanced education on the various facades of nutrition, including production, processing, and climate related developments.
Professor Francis Zotor, Trustee of the AfriCan, that the initiative hoped to position media as key proponents of enhanced nutrition in the communities and formed part of a broadened stakeholder focus towards improving the outcomes.
Professor Lydia Aziato, Vice Chancellor of the University of health and Allied Sciences who opened the workshop, said there were prevailing hold of customs and imposed taboos on the nation’s feeding regime, and there was the need to “disabuse mindsets so that our people can feed well.
“In all these, the important thing is that we want our people to stay healthy and not come for admission,” the Vice Chancellor said and commended AfriCan for the essential education.
Emmanuel Agbaxode, Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association in the Volta and Oti Regions, asked beneficiaries to use the opportunity to build their knowledge to enable them effectively deliver on the frontlines of the nutrition campaign.
