Mrs Sarah Abagai, the Head of Department Dietetics, National Hospital, Abuja, has called on parents and schools to acquire healthy dietary guide to encourage healthy nutrition for children.

Abagai told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja that poor nutrition was detrimental and risky to childhood obesity, hence the need to encourage healthy nutrition.
She said partnership between schools and experts would help provide a standardised nutrition programme towards healthy living.
“Experts such as Nutritionists and Dieticians could partner with school managements to provide healthy dietary guide in order to avoid grooming obsessed and unhealthy children in the society.

“Eating right lies within the influence of parents, therefore schools can educate parents on nutritious diet such as fruits and vegetables like carrots, banana, water, yoghurt as snacks in lunch boxes.
“Going organic is another important step toward better eating, improved digestion and good health for our children.
“Organic foods are not sprayed with chemicals or preservatives during the planting or growing process and are easier for many children to digest and absorb nutrients properly.
“What you introduce to a child is what that child appreciates; educate the children aright so they appreciate whatever is kept in their lunch box,’’ she said.
According to Abagai, research has shown that children of the 21st century were mostly overweight and obsessed while at risk of developing lifestyle related diseases early in life.
She noted that many children and adolescents are now developing diabetes, high blood pressure due to the high consumption of sugar, salt and fat in their food.
She added that the reduction of fat, sugar and salt in foods could help normalise body weight, blood glucose levels, control of blood lipid level while reducing the risk of heart diseases.
Abagai urged parents not to encourage bad nutrition as children do not know the implication of weight gain but rather concerned about consuming fast foods.
“The lifestyle a child is predisposed to in the family as to do with the food habit and the level of activity they engage in.
“Assorted fruits like apples, banana, pawpaw, carrot, yoghurt and nuts should be encouraged.
“While meals such as French fries with omelet, fried sausages, tea with full cream milk, burger, cakes, sugar are unhealthy snacks and should be discouraged.
“The more calories a child consumes the more the demand for physical activities to burn down the calories to stay healthy,’’ Abagai said.
She stressed that poor dietary habits results in disease conditions that develop slowly without the knowledge and realisation of the harm it does to the body.
However, she said that good dietary choices are designed to nourish and sustain our bodies for healthy living.