A Poor Diet Can Increase The Risk Of Many Diseases

The food we consume can greatly impact a person’s growth, wellbeing, and development. Having a poor diet can result in a variety of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, problems with obesity, and others. Changing eating habits is a community issue that needs to be improved rather than just a personal one. In Nigeria, there have been many fatalities due to poor diet, making the country rank 42nd out of 195 other nations. 

What is poor nutrition?

Poor nutrition, also known as malnutrition is a severe disorder that occurs when you don’t get enough nutrition in your diet. Undernutrition, –which includes, wasting, stunting and being underweight– insufficient vitamins, as well as obesity are all examples of a poor diet with lack of nutrition. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2020, it was predicted that 149 million children around the world under the age of 5 were too short for their age or stunted. Whereas 45 million were wasted, meaning they were too thin for their height, and 38.9 million were obese. 

What factors contribute to poor nutrition?

Some examples of having bad eating habits and not getting enough nutrition include overeating and/or undereating, consuming foods that are high in sugar, salt, and fat, as well as not consuming the necessary foods our bodies require. Eating poorly can occur as a result of many factors including personal preferences, increasing food prices, poverty, as well as a wide range of accessible non-nutritious foods. 

Having access to healthy foods that are nutrient-rich correlates with a healthy diet and a reduced risk of obesity and other chronic illnesses. Kimbino is a website providing online leaflets on products from different and well-known stores such as Supermart, Game, Shoprite, Addide and more. They have offers of good quality and healthy products that are rich in nutrients including fruits and vegetables. Consuming a nicely balanced meal not only does it satisfy your hunger but also gives you the nutrition your body needs. 

According to a recent study from last year, food choices are responsible for more than two-thirds of heart diseases and other fatalities happening globally. Scientists say that healthier diets could have prevented 6 million deaths. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, as well as fruits including clementines, pears, apples, fresh berries and more, from Walmart offers are important to consume for a nutritious diet and good health.

Unhealthy eating habits can have a negative impact on one’s life

Children worldwide have mental, physical, and dental problems due to poor eating habits. According to a research article “Gender effect on eating habits of Nigerian school children”, in Nigeria children experience diverse problems of obesity. In the southern part of Nigeria, obesity with being overweight or underweight was found to be common with school children and teenagers. 

Additionally, 2.8 per cent, 11.4 per cent, and 13.0 per cent of school children were reported to suffer from obesity, being overweight and being underweight. Furthermore, 3.7 per cent of the female participants in the survey were conducted to be more obese than the opposite gender, with male participants covering 1.8 per cent. 

Having healthy eating habits during adolescence is essential and fundamental for physical development, psychosocial and mental state, cognitive performance as well as early prevention of any chronic illnesses in the future. 

Often, teenage girls after the age of 12, rarely stick to a usual three meal a day routine. More than half of teenage girls have admitted to eating at least five times each day. In addition to that, they are more into new products and meals, making their eating habits flexible and to change over time. In conclusion, poor eating habits are contributors to many chronic illnesses and a major health problem that needs to be addressed.