Follow Us on Google
• How processed foods consumed by children contribute to rising scourge
• What parents must do’
By Vivian Onyebukwa
The rate at which children are diagnosed of some terminal ailments such as cancer, diabetes, and obesity these days are alarming. Before now, these sicknesses were never associated with children.
A recent report shows that children constitute 7.2 per cent of annual cancer cases in Nigeria. This was stated by the National Coordinator of the National Cancer Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Uchechukwu Nwokwu at a public enlightenment programme on childhood cancer in commemoration of 2025 International Childhood Cancer Day, (ICCD) organised by Akanimo Cancer Foundation in Abuja recently.
Also, the World Health Organisation (WHO) report shows that 400,000 children worldwide develop cancer yearly.
Some factors have been identified as the cause of these ailments in children.
After investigations and series of analysis, it has been discovered that some of the packaged foods and drinks in Nigeria, especially the ones given to children, are highly cancerous. They have higher exposure to cancer ailment and other related ailments such as diabetes and obesity. Some of the things used to preserve these foods, especially at ages one, two, three, four, five years daily, are the reason why there is drug resistance malaria (DRM).
Some individuals have expressed concern over this health issue, calling on parents, school authorities, and government to find ways to curb the menace.
Some school authorities are rising up to the challenge, while some others need enlightenment to be aware of what is happening.
Dr Anthony Baiyewu, Director, King Emmanuel College, Ayobo, Lagos, has expressed serious concern about this health issue. He tagged it “Old age diseases in children,” referring to children in age brackets 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 and teenagers. He said the diseases such as cancer, ulcer, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity are now prevalent in children of this generation.
Dr Baiyewu mentioned some of the factors responsible for these ailments, which include children being exposed to junk food such as noodles, snacks, candies and sweets, and the like. He, however, blamed some parents, especially working class mothers, who he said no longer spend quality time in the kitchen to prepare nutritious food for their children, some due to lack of proficiency.
He regretted that some children come to school with their lunch bags, the content of which is largely determined by their parents.
While advising mothers, Dr Baiyewu said: “Children emulate their mothers more and so they should be good examples. Some mothers indulge in eating biscuits and snacks, drinking beverages and carbonated drinks, licking sweets and chewing gums in-between meals. There is need for discipline and self-control to curtail indulgence in junk food. Mothers should know that bonding is not by giving biscuits and sweets but by inculcating morals and feeding them with the word of God. Parents, especially mothers must also create time to ensure they prepare delicious and nourishing meals for their children. The time and resources spent in preparing delicious meals will be more profitable than the time that will be spent in curing and or managing diabetes, hypertension, obesity, stroke, etc. Be wise, prevention is better than cure,” he said.
How we’re rising to challenge, by educationists
Also speaking, the Proprietress of ATS Premier Academy, Ijegun, Lagos, Mrs Kusoro Adebukunola, said she had to, in an effort to ensure that children are fed with nutritious diets, introduce fruit days in the school children’s feeding.
“The rate of cancer, diabetes, and obesity in children is alarming. All those canned drinks, I don’t know what they are made of. That is why we introduced “Fruit Days” twice a week. Even when the parent tried to complain about getting fruits to buy, I insisted that they must look for fruits anywhere. The junk foods are too much.”
Other News
Mrs Adebukunola does not just stop at encouraging parents to comply with the directive, she has also taken a step further to educate the parents on the need to feed their children with nutritious foods. According to her, during the last Parents Teachers Association meeting (PTA) held in the school premises, she took further steps in advising parents, especially mothers on how best to prepare nutritious foods for their children. “Avoid noodles. Even if you want to give your child noodles, embellish them with vegetables such as carrot, green pepper, etc.”
Even as a mother, she gave out some tips on how to keep the children healthy. “When I was nursing my kids, I used to squeeze bitter leaf and bring out the water, add a little red oil, mix them and give them twice in a month. All these sicknesses such as measles, they never experienced them because it would flush their system. They hardly experienced those sicknesses because I used those natural things on them.”
She promised to continue to talk to parents on how best to feed their children during their upcoming PTA meeting.
Mrs Ngozi Okpalakunne, Proprietress of Concord School, Okota, Lagos, proposed natural foods for the children. “Cook natural food like yam and beans. In our school canteen, I discourage the children from buying all those sweet things such as fruit juice by replacing them with Zobo drink. I produce the Zobo by myself and I use local, natural things such as sycamore, clove, ginger, garlic, turmeric, lime, lemon, pineapple peels to produce it, all to curb stomach problems. Avoid sweeteners.”
She advised mothers to give their children more of proteins such as meat, fish, eggs, and vegetarian equivalents.
Mrs Okpalakunne continued by saying that dairy products and cheese or dairy alternatives, legumes, lentils, nuts are good for the children’s health, adding that fat based foods such as avocado, seeds, butter, margarine and oils, do not get broken down into glucose and therefore do not have a big effect on one’s blood glucose levels.
She equally proposed non-starchy vegetables such as salad vegetables, carrots, broccoli, leeks, cucumber, tomatoes and other colourful vegetables. “These vegetables do not get broken down into glucose and are encouraged to include them at most meals,” she said.
Parents take up the gauntlet
At the moment, many parents are also taking up the gauntlet in the fight against child diseases.
Mr Eugene Mmeka, a freight forwarder in Apapa, Lagos, described the situation as a very sad one. He said that the rate at which children are suffering from these ailments is alarming. “These are life threatening sicknesses. How can children under 10 years go through the pain and suffering? It’s sad. All hands must be on deck to curb this problem,” Mmeka said
A nursing mother, Nkechi Okoro, advised parents to avoid much of carbohydrate foods such as all breads, crackers, cereals, cornflakes, all pastas, rice, and noodles in their children’s menu. She recommended foods such as beans, legumes, and lentils. She advised that foods such as those that contain sugar like biscuits, cakes, jams, ice cream, chocolate, and muffins, should be avoided.
“While the children can eat all foods, some foods should be saved for special occasions,” said Mrs Ann Effiong, a mother of three. Mrs Effiong noted that foods like cakes, ice creams, and chocolates have a bigger impact on the blood glucose levels due to the added sugar in them. “In as much as children like sugary things, parents should be cautious on how their children consume them. As far as I am concerned, for all children and young people, the best drink is water and plain milk,” she stated.
Samson Okehi, a vegetable seller at Ejigbo, Lagos, advised that people should go back to natural foods just like their forefathers. “If you watch our forefathers, the reason why they live healthier, stronger and longer is because they ate natural foods. The people need to be encouraged to return to natural food. We need to be careful. If you want to live healthy and strong it depends on what you consume.”
He advised the government authorities such as National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to enforce the ban of those harmful foods.
Government’s fight against killer foods
The issue of food safety is a one thing that can never be compromised. This is why the government established the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to monitor the quality of food consumed in the country. As a result, NAFDAC has continued to issue warnings to the public concerning the consumption of sundry food items, especially some processed ones that are hazardous to human health because of the poisonous chemicals discovered in them which must be taken seriously.
