As the prices of food products, including fruits and vegetables continue to rise, physicians have urged pregnant women to ensure fruits and vegetables are not lacking in their diet.
Since the inflation and food insecurity began, many Nigerians including pregnant women have complained of their inability to regularly achieve their daily dietary needs.
However, the physicians noted that pregnant women who did not take the required vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that could be found in fruits and vegetables risked having babies with low birth weight, spinal cord and brain defects, and low cognitive functions, among other health issues.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s annual inflation rose to 28.92 per cent in December 2023.
Compared to the inflation rate recorded in December 2022, the NBS stated that the country recorded a 7.58 per cent increase in 2023.
Food inflation in December 2023 was 33.93 per cent, signaling a 10.18 per cent increase compared to the 23.75 per cent recorded in December 2022.
Several factors, such as the removal of fuel subsidy, constant fall of the naira, insecurity in the North, unfair food prices and activities of the middlemen, and the impact of flooding in about 33 states in 2022, are responsible for the increase in food prices.
PUNCH Healthwise had at several instances reported the inability of many Nigerians, including persons with long-term non-communicable diseases and vulnerable groups to attain adequate dietary needs due to the rise in food prices.
Medical experts had warned of the rise in peptic ulcers, depression, and malnutrition while the United Nations Children’s Fund had predicted that acute malnutrition would hit two million in 2023 due to the worsening food crisis.
Yet, food prices continue to rise.
Speaking on the nutritional importance of fruits and vegetables on the foetus, a Paediatrician and the Provost of the College of Medicine at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, Prof Aishatu Gobir, asserted that intrauterine nutrition played a significant role on the growth and development of a child.
She added that when a foetus lacks the required nutrients, it could affect the child throughout childhood and adulthood.
The don said, “Fruits and vegetables should be part of the diet of everyone but we know that the demands for nutrients increase in pregnancy. Fruits and vegetables are important in the supply of micronutrients like Vitamins, minerals and trace elements. These are found in unprocessed fruits and vegetables and help the body utilise the other nutrients. The development of the brain is particularly affected by the trace elements contained in vegetables. “When a woman is deficient in folic acid which is derived from vegetables, the foetus can have spinal cord and brain defects. The cognitive function of a child which determines school performance is also affected by the micronutrient deficiencies that can arise from poor fruits and vegetables intake.”
She further noted that although the current inflation affected the nutrition of other family members, pregnant women, due to increased demand, were affected the most.
The paediatrician also said that iron and folic acid deficiencies could lead to anaemia in pregnancy, consequently causing low birth weight, among other problems.
PUNCH Healthwise recently reported that 50 per cent of pregnant women were anaemic.
The don advised pregnant mothers to eat fruits and vegetables in season and to avoid overheating the vegetables so that the essential micronutrients, such as folic acid can be preserved.
Gobir further asserted, “The ideal food of a pregnant woman must contain all classes of food in the right mix. Attending antenatal care will allow families to learn about adequate foods for pregnant women. This will help in the growth and development of the foetus, baby and children.”
Also, a Professor of Public Health Nutrition at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Beatrice Ogunba, stated that the rise in food prices had caused the inability of many Nigerians to meet their nutritional and dietary requirements because they could no longer afford essential foods.
She added that food insecurity was creating a problem, noting that pregnant women who needed a variety of diets for normal growth and development of the baby could no longer afford to buy them.
Ogunba, who is also a Researcher on Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding said, “Fruits and vegetables are one of the essential nutrients required in pregnancy because it is a source of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. So if pregnant women don’t have these essential nutrients, the very first thing they will have is a nutrient deficiency of vitamins, minerals, fibre, anti-oxidant, low potassium level, and folate. Folate is an essential nutrient in pregnancy that helps to prevent anaemia. When a pregnant woman has anaemia, it affects the child and can lead to low birth weight in the children. Also, their immune system will be compromised because fruits and vegetables help to boost the immune system and prevent the onset of infection in the woman.
“Fruits and vegetables also contribute fibre to the diet. Digestive issues are common in pregnant women so they would need a lot of fibre and if they are not getting it enough, there will be constipation in pregnancy and there won’t be regular bowel movements and if they attempt to move the bowel forcefully, it could lead to abortion.”
Ogunba further noted that these deficiencies would increase the risk of health complications in the babies.
She noted that anti-oxidants were important for the overall cellular health and growth of both the mother and child, adding that their absence would expose the body cells to free radicals, consequently leading to health issues.
The don advised pregnant women to prioritise and be intentional about eating fruits and vegetables to enhance their health and that of their baby.
The public health nutritionist said, “They should be intentional in buying fruits and vegetables that are available and cheap. You don’t have to go for the expensive ones; they can buy the ones in season. More importantly, they should use the supplements given to them at the antenatal clinics regularly to further ensure they have enough folate. Prioritise and choose the right fruits and vegetables, you don’t have to focus on a particular one. It is advisable to make it a variety so you can deliver different nutrients contained in the different fruits and vegetables. You don’t have to buy the expensive ones, you can go for the cheap ones, oranges are not expensive and they are a good source of citrus.”
