Experts Advocate Nutrition, Lifestyle Modification for Disease Prevention

Following increased rate of Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) in the country, experts have called on Nigerians to maintain adequate nutritional diets, as well as abstain from lifestyle that predisposes one to health issues like diabetes, cancer, respiratory disorders, among others.

The experts who spoke at a one-day workshop organised by Coca Cola Nigeria in Lagos recently, tagged: ‘Adequate Nutrition and Lifestyle : Essential for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases,’ said Nigerians must make deliberate attempts to prevent the numerous health issues in the country.

Speaking at the workshop, a Consultant Nutritionist and Dietician, Dr Chika Ndiokwelu, said eating unhealthy diets have been implicated to cause a number of preventable diseases, adding that, processed foods contain more harmful elements than the well known African foods and vegetables which the country was used to.

While stating that poor food intake, smoking, harmful use of alcohol and sedentary lifestyle were risk factors responsible for NCDs, she advised that eating of fruits, legumes, vegetables, engage in regular physical exercise, reduction of salt intake, reduction in alcohol intake, as well as quitting smoking, would help a long way in preventing NCDs.

She described NCDs as chronic but non-contagious medical conditions which could lead to deformity or death. “NCDs represent a major threat to health and development in the 21st century, as they account for 60 per cent of all deaths and 43 per cent of disease burden globally,” she said.