Angela Onwuzoo
Nutritionists say children who consume less meat and fish, which are naturally rich in high-quality proteins, essential vitamins and minerals, may experience poor brain and physical development due to protein deficiency.
The experts say animal proteins like meat are the best to provide children with all the essential amino acids they need.
According to nutritionists, fish is also a rich source of healthy fats such as docosahexaenoic acid, which are essential for a child’s developing brain, nervous system, and vision.
The World Health Organisation says animal foods are the best sources to fully meet the nutritional needs of children aged six to 23 months.
However, despite the nutritional content of fish and meat, nutritionists said many under-five children are missing out on high-quality proteins provided by these foods due to poverty.
They disclosed in separate interviews with PUNCH Healthwise, noting that such children may suffer protein deficiency, which they warned will lead to poor brain development and retarded growth
Speaking with our correspondent, a community nutritionist, Charles Nkwoala, said children under five suffering from protein deficiency are also at risk of lowered immunity, fatigue, and lack of concentration.
Nkwoala, who is a former National General Secretary of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, said children are affected by poor intake of meat and fish because they require high protein for growth and development.
The nutritionist, who is also a lecturer in the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, said, “In children under five, protein deficiency can lead to retarded growth, poor cognitive development, lowered immunity, fatigue and lack of concentration.
“These consequences may be irreversible and affect all aspects of the child’s development even in education attainment and productivity later in life.”
The nutritionist also noted that it was important to know the causes of protein deficiency in children.
“The immediate cause of protein deficiency is majorly related to inadequate intake of protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, legumes and also the presence of diseases.
“For us to appreciate the reason for the rise in protein deficiency in Nigeria, especially among children, we need to know the causes of protein deficiency. There are about three levels of causes – immediate cause, underlying cause, and basic cause”, he added.
The State of the World’s Children 2019 by the United Nations Children’s Fund revealed that almost two in three children between six months and two years of age globally were not fed food that supports their rapidly growing bodies and brains.
“This puts them at risk of poor brain development, weak learning, low immunity, increased infections and, in many cases, death”, UNICEF added
Nkwoala blamed the immediate cause of protein deficiency on household food insecurity, inadequate care, sanitation, and lack of access to health care.
The nutrition educator identified poverty, unemployment, and lack of basic infrastructure as the basic cause of protein deficiency.
He added, “If you consider the fact that Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world and the predominant lack of basic amenities and poor health care system, it is, therefore, clear that protein deficiency will always be on the increase.
“ Bearing in mind that protein is a major component of almost all parts of the body – blood (haemoglobin), eye, muscle, hair, it then becomes obvious that its deficiency can lead to several health risks such as anaemia, retarded growth, eye problems, and even death.
“Children and women, especially pregnant and lactating women, are most affected by protein deficiency.
Already, the burden of child malnutrition has assumed a worrisome dimension in Nigeria as UNICEF states that 12 million out of the 35 million under-five children in Nigeria are stunted due to malnutrition.
Nigeria is ranked number one in Africa and second in the world in terms of malnourished children.
Nkwoala warned that protein deficiency has serious health implications.
He said, “Children are affected because of their high protein requirement for growth and development. Pregnant women and lactating women also require protein for the proper growth of the fetus and milk production respectively.”
Suggesting ways to address it, the nutritionist said the fight against protein deficiency should be fought from the basic cause, which entails creating opportunities to lift people out of poverty and providing access to healthcare facilities.
“These will provide opportunities for individuals and households to have unhindered access to available, affordable, safe, and nutritious foods.
“However, households and individuals need adequate nutrition education to know how to combine locally available foods to make nutritious and safe meals for their children and other vulnerable groups in the household”, he said.
Another nutritionist, Uju Onuorah, said poor nutrition in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life can cause irreversible damage to the growing brain.
She explained that if not given the right foods, it could affect a child’s ability to do well in school.
Onuorah said, “Nutrition in particular plays a foundational role in a child’s development and the ability to prosper.
“Research shows that 80 per cent of a child’s brain development occurs within the first 1,000 days of life, making those years important for lifelong health, learning and success.”
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