An Analysis by Lilian Okoro, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

For Mrs Titilayo Akomolafe, a mother of four and resident of Agbara community, Lagos, eating healthy and nutritious meals is a luxury her household could hardly afford.

Akomolafe said she often looked forward to festive periods because they offered opportunities to enjoy better-quality meals.

According to her, such occasions are among the few times her family can afford nutritious food.

She explained that her husband’s physical disability limited his financial contribution to the family, leaving her petty business as the household’s main source of income.

She said she skipped meals  most times to ensure that her children had something to eat.

“To me, what matters is having something to eat, irrespective of its quality or nutritional content.

“Because my family is not financially buoyant, we settle for whatever food I can afford, while waiting for occasions and festive periods when we can access more nutritious meals,” Akomolafe said.

Similarly, Mr Vincent Emenike, a roadside trader and father of three, said his priority was eating enough to satisfy his hunger, regardless of the nutritional value.

“For me, food is food. My concern is to eat to my satisfaction, as long as the food is tasty and fills my stomach,” he said.

For the two above, their experiences reflect a broader challenge confronting many Nigerian households, where economic hardship and limited practical nutrition knowledge influence food choices.

Beyond affordability, inadequate nutrition education, cultural misconceptions and the perception that healthy meals are exclusively for the wealthy also contribute to poor dietary choices.

This underscores the need for effective nutrition education to equip people with the knowledge and skills to make informed food choices, prepare balanced meals and maintain healthy lifestyles.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), nutrition is a critical part of health and development.

It notes that better nutrition is related to improved infant, child and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease), and longevity.

Consuming a healthy diet throughout the life-course helps to prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and conditions.

According to WHO, the exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (e.g. age, gender, lifestyle and degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally-available foods and dietary customs.

However, the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same and are described in four principles: adequacy, balance, moderation and diversity.

Also defining a “nutritious” food, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) said nutritious food is food that in the context where it is consumed and by the individual that consumes it, provides beneficial nutrients such as  vitamins, major and trace minerals, essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, dietary fibre and minimises potentially harmful elements such as antinutrients, quantities of saturated fats and sugars.

Overall, nutrition and diet play a critical role in shaping the health and well-being of both individuals and populations, and unhealthy diets are a major risk factor for disease and disability, hence the need for nutrition education.

However, change in food production and food systems, rapid urbanisation and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns.

WHO notes that people are now consuming more highly processed foods high in unhealthy fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit and vegetables or consume sufficient dietary fibre.

Though nutrition education is essential to healthy living, many Nigerians struggle to apply healthy-eating principles amid rising food prices, economic hardship and widespread misinformation.

The consequences extend beyond health, affecting education, earnings, productivity and overall economic development.

Poor nutrition can result in malnutrition, including undernutrition, stunting, wasting, diseases and micronutrient deficiencies.

A study indicates that 172 million Nigerians cannot afford a healthy diet, while malnutrition accounts for an estimated 11 per cent loss in Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually.

Dr Margaret Agada-Mba, a university don, described nutrition education as essential to maintaining healthy lives.

Speaking at the 2026 Nestlé Business Journalism and Nutrition Programme at the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Agada-Mba advocated effective nutrition education to help people maximise available resources and nourish themselves adequately.

“Unfortunately, for some Nigerians, economic circumstances determine what ends up on their plates.

“You do not need to be a millionaire to eat healthily. What matters is understanding how to use the resources available to nourish yourself and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“Nutrition education has been acknowledged as an important method of combating malnutrition in developing countries like Nigeria, and it has enhanced the quality of life among specific groups,” she said.

She explained that people could enjoy festive meals without compromising their health by practising moderation and making informed food choices.

“Eating healthily is about making smarter nutritional choices that leave you feeling nourished and energised,” she said.

According to her, nutrition education should go beyond telling people what to eat to demonstrating how to make healthier choices within their financial circumstances.

“With the little money you have, you can still make informed decisions about what you eat, provided you have the right education, awareness and practical knowledge.

“Balanced meals containing fibre-rich foods, lean proteins and vegetables can help regulate blood sugar, promote satiety and reduce overeating. Seafood can also provide essential vitamins and minerals,” she said.

Also speaking,  Dr Ibukun Afolami, a nutritionist at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, emphasised the importance of practical demonstrations in helping people translate nutritional knowledge into everyday choices.

Afolami said nutrition education programmes should demonstrate how affordable, locally available foods, including beans, groundnuts, eggs, leafy vegetables, millet and sorghum, could contribute to balanced diets.

“The focus is to educate people on how to use whatever resources or money they have to eat healthily and nourish themselves.

“Education must be practical enough for people to apply in their daily lives,” he said.

He also expressed concern over misleading nutrition information on social media, which he said influenced people’s dietary decisions.

He urged schools, healthcare facilities, community organisations and the media to provide accessible, reliable and culturally relevant nutrition information.

According to him, the ultimate goal should be to empower people with the knowledge and skills to make healthier choices, regardless of income.

“People need to understand that healthy living begins with the choices they make every day.

“When we educate them properly and demonstrate what they can do with the resources available, we are helping them make better decisions about their health,” he said.

Notwithstanding the  importance of nutrition education, rising food prices and economic hardship remain significant obstacles to dietary diversity.

However, nutrition education alone cannot eliminate malnutrition as it must be complemented by efforts to improve access to affordable, safe and nutritious foods.

This also highlights the responsibilities of government, farmers, manufacturers and other stakeholders across the food production chain in ensuring food availability and affordability.

Bridging Nigeria’s nutrition education gap, therefore, requires moving beyond general awareness to practical guidance that would reflect people’s economic realities and empower households to make informed food choices.

Accessible and nutritious food is essential not only for individual health but also for social, environmental and economic development.

Hence, sustained nutrition education, alongside improved access to affordable healthy foods is, therefore, critical to building a healthier and more productive population. (NANFeatures)

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Edited by Vivian Ihechu

***If used please credit the writer and the News Agency Of Nigeria (NAN)***