The group lamented that governments appeared to be standing by while food corporations endanger their well-being by relentlessly targeting them with unhealthy ultra-processed foods and drinks often high in sodium and sugar, the excessive consumption of which erodes health.
In a statement signed by Afeez Adedayo Bello, on behalf of its communications team, HFPYV said: “Excessive consumption of sodium, sugary sweetened beverages (SSBs) and ultra-processed foods is worsening the country’s non-communicable diseases (NCDs) burden and dimming the prospects of Nigerian youths enjoying a healthy adulthood.”
“Everywhere you turn on radio, TV and the internet, we are bombarded by adverts of these unhealthy products, disguised as healthy foods, all targeted at young people. Giant food corporations are given free rein to entice us, and sadly, many youths, unprotected by government regulations, fall prey and become addicted to these products to the detriment of their health“. The group said.
The group bemoaned the corporations dominance, saying they are “gradually pushing our natural, indigenous foods to the background and even changing our food culture”.
The group complained that many young Nigerians are no longer familiar with and cannot prepare the dishes their grandparents ate, as ultra-processed foods, such as noodles, are now the donation of choice to natural disaster victims, while unhealthy sugar-laden drinks have replaced healthy indigenous drinks at social gatherings across the length and breadth of the country.
The Youths argued that NCDs already place inordinate demands on Nigeria’s healthcare system, and advocated for the need to reduce unhealthy food intake which it says , “is highly relevant for improved health outcomes.”
The statement further referenced the danger of tobacco smoking and related products being aggressively marketed by the industry to young Nigerians.
According to the group, “Alarmingly, about five million young Nigerians are said to be addicted to tobacco smoking, further exposing a critical mass of the country’s demographics to debilitating NCDs.
“Despite this, the tobacco industry is relentlessly pushing out newer forms of tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, so-called herbal cigarettes and heat-not-burn cigarettes, packaged to attract children and young people into the deadly habit of smoking or vaping.
Food Security and access to nutritious food
“Apart from being an annual global observance that aims to raise awareness of the need to ensure food security and access to nutritious food for all, World Food Day also highlights the importance of sustainable agriculture and food production to address global food challenges. Every Nigerian child deserves to grow up well-nourished. But for millions of children across the country, hunger is their everyday reality”. It said.
The group urged governments at all levels to re-align food and agricultural interventions, including climate policies, so there can be increased access to nutritious foods and food systems can be more healthy, equitable and sustainable.
The Youths also advocated that agriculture budgets be allocated in ways that can stimulate the production of more nutritious foods, increase in their availability and reduction in the costs so that healthy diets can be affordable.
It called for other healthy food policies like effective SSB tax, mandatory salt limits, and effective tobacco control measures to complement the efforts to increase their impact by creating incentives and supportive environments for healthy diets.
World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16th October, to commemorate FAO’s founding on that day in 1945.
