A healthy diet is a diet that gives the body the nutrients it needs to function effectively. Without a healthy diet, the body is more prone to disease, infection, fatigue and low performance.

A healthy, balanced diet will usually include the following nutrients: Vitamins,minerals and antioxidants,Carbohydrates, including starches and fiber,Protein,Healthy fats.
A healthy diet will include a variety of foods from the following groups:

Fruits:
Fruits are very nutritious. Local fruits that are in the season are fresher and provide more nutrients than imported fruits. They boost the body’s supply of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Vegetables:
Vegetables are key sources of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Variety of vegetables should be eaten as they full range of nutrients.

Grains:

Refined white flour which is found in many breads and baked goods has limited nutritional value. This is because the hull of the grain which contain nutrients is removed during processing. Whole grain products include the entire grain, including the hull. Therefore, they provide additional vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Dairy:
Dairy products provide essential nutrients including: protein, calcium, vitamin D. They also contain fats.

Protein foods:

Protein is essential for wound healing and muscle maintenance and development, among other functions. It can be gotten from animal sources which includes: beef, mutton, chicken, turkey, fish , and plant sources which includes: nuts, beans, soy products, peas etc

Foods to avoid or limit when on a healthy diet includes:
Highly processed foods
Refined grains
Added sugar and salt
Red and processed meat
Alcohol
Trans fats

A healthy diet will combine all the nutrients and food groups mentioned above, but this needs to be balanced too.
A way to remember how much of each food group to eat is the plate method. This recommends:
Filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables.
Filling just over one quarter with grains
Filling just under one quarter with protein foods
Adding dairy on the side.

A healthy diet is a diet that gives the body the nutrients it needs to function effectively. Without a healthy diet, the body is more prone to disease, infection, fatigue and low performance.
A healthy, balanced diet will usually include the following nutrients:
Vitamins , minerals and antioxidants
Carbohydrates, including starches and fiber
Protein
Healthy fats.

A healthy diet will include a variety of foods from the following groups:

Fruits:
Fruits are very nutritious. Local fruits that are in the season are fresher and provide more nutrients than imported fruits. They boost the body’s supply of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Vegetables:

Vegetables are key sources of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Variety of vegetables should be eaten as they full range of nutrients.
Grains:

Refined white flour which is found in many breads and baked goods has limited nutritional value. This is because the hull of the grain which contain nutrients is removed during processing. Whole grain products include the entire grain, including the hull. Therefore, they provide additional vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Dairy:

Dairy products provide essential nutrients including: protein, calcium, vitamin D. They also contain fats.
Protein foods:
Protein is essential for wound healing and muscle maintenance and development, among other functions. It can be gotten from animal sources which includes: beef, mutton, chicken, turkey, fish , and plant sources which includes: nuts, beans, soy products, peas etc
Foods to avoid or limit when on a healthy diet includes:
Highly processed foods
Refined grains
Added sugar and salt
Red and processed meat
Alcohol
Trans fats

A healthy diet will combine all the nutrients and food groups mentioned above, but this needs to be balanced too.
A way to remember how much of each food group to eat is the plate method. This recommends:
Filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables.
Filling just over on quarter with grains
Filling just under one quarter with protein foods
Adding dairy on the side.

Do you remember Chief Adeyanju? Do you also remember his daughter? Well, that’s where we shall begin this article from. Chief Adeyanju took the first step of reducing the quantity of food he ate and stopping his intake of alcohol. A lot changed in his physical health and he began to get back in shape. The only problem he had was the issue of finding effective replacements for his previous mistakes. He decided to visit his doctor, Dr. Oluwaseun who introduced him to a very intelligent nutritionist, Miss Praise. Well, Miss Praise, being a smart lady gave the ignorant man some pieces of advice. This is what we shall discuss in this article. Chief Adeyanju, thankfully, listened to her with rapt attention and was so enthralled.
The summary of what she told him was to get the right combination of foods, and also include the consumption of fruits. The major problem with many individuals is that they do not have the idea of the right food combinations and also the importance of some particular foods. Let’s look at some good types and combinations that will help in bringing out the value of healthy eating.
To begin with, foods that are high in protein are one of the best foods to be eaten when thinking of changing or improving our diet. It has been said repeatedly that we are what we eat- what we sow is what we shall reap. Proteins are nutrients that help to build the body and also repair worm out tissues. Probably what Chief Adeyanju did not know was the fact that proteins are very important factors in the growth of any person. Now, a man that eats the right proportion of proteinous foods will have no issue with bad health when combined with other food stuffs. It is necessary for growth and maintenance, biochemical reactions, maintaining proper pH balance, building of the Immune system, transportation and storage of nutrients. Now, you see that proteins are indispensable in the perfect functioning of the body system. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.
In addition, carbohydrates are also really pertinent in the perfect functioning of the body system. Actually, Miss Praise from the above story made it known to the chief that carbohydrates are important also but must not be taken in excessive quantities. She told him also that he must stay away totally from beer and alcoholic drinks as they contain too much carbohydrates. One of the primary functions of carbohydrates is to provide your body with energy. Most of the carbohydrates in the foods you eat are digested and broken down into glucose before entering the bloodstream. They function in regulating blood glucose, sparing the use of proteins for energy, breaking down fatty acids, providing dietary fiber and serve as natural sweetener for foods. If the right quantity of carbohydrates can be put in foods, then we are good to go. A diet with a difference is a diet that brings out the physical champion in you. It is a diet that also gives you a sense of satisfaction. This is what the right quantity of carbohydrates gives.
Another set of food that cannot be ignored are the vegetables. Eating vegetables provides health benefits – people who eat more vegetables as a part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Vegetables provide nutrients vital for the health and maintenance of your body. Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. Many people ignore the importance of veggies. They feel they really do not need them. They are like Chief Adeyanju who was non-challant about the essence of vegetables. He ignored them altogether, and this really had effect on him because he later discovered that he had a lot of health issues. Some of the vegetables that should be eaten very well include; leafy greens, carrots, broccoli, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, beets and many more as they are rich in vitamins and minerals.
In our day to day life and activities, the importance of fruits cannot be overemphasized. Eating fruit provides a lot of health benefits as they provide nutrients vital for good health. Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories- none have cholesterol. Fruits are sources of many essential nutrients that are under-consumed, including potassium, dietary fibre, vitamin C, and folate (folic acid). Eating a diet rich in some fruits as part of an overall healthy diet can protect against different types of cancers. So, you should not cheat yourself by saying that you can’t afford some fruits. Fruits are healthy and important. Although, Chief Adeyanju had no problem with price, you should also eat the great and healthy food he gets to eats to as health is wealth.
Moving further, an essential aspect has to do with the expulsion of excess sugar from your diet. The truth is that if you knew the damages excess sugar quantities cause to your health, you would probably run away. Some dangers include; increase in the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, acceleration of aging in people; tooth decay, stress increment, replacement of important nutrients. Now, if you are not careful with your diet, you can be accustomed to all of these. All the junks and fast foods must be reduced drastically if good health will be achieved.
In conclusion, Chief Adeyanju finally had the chance to change his diet in a big way. Thanks to his little girl, his doctor and a big appreciation goes to his newly found nutritionist. Without these people coupled with the knowledge of the food stuffs, he would have been left in the dark (a state of ignorance). The purpose of this article is to feed you with the necessary knowledge you need to have a wonderful eating habit. But you must realise that only the application of this new-found knowledge brings results. It will be wise for you to follow the right steps to get the right results. Only the right key opens the right door. The one key that will open the door of good health asides God obviously, is right feeding.
Remember a word is enough for the wise. You are what you eat.

Chief Adeyanju was a chubby man with a large, rounded tummy. He was a very wealthy and affluent man. Most people loved and respected him for his kindness and generosity but one thing they disliked about him was his gluttony and alcoholism. Although he was wealthy, his attitude towards food was something to get worried about. He never hid his ravenous love for food and alcoholic drinks. Whenever he wanted to eat solid food, he would always place a bottle or more of beer and would then ingest large portions of his meal. On a particular Friday morning in his home, he was visited by his fifteen year old grand-daughter who enlightened him on the importance of moderation in the intake of food. She made known to him the fact that every man is what he eats. “Grandpa, you can’t continue like this; you need a change in your diet as consistent intake of large portions of food and alcohol can cause health problems”, she said. Fortunately, Chief decided to obey his grand daughter and eat moderately. He called it “operation diet with a difference” because he began to see the effect of taking in the right portions of food and the abstinence from alcoholic drinks.
Now, the problem in our community is that many people have no idea of how their feeding patterns influence their lives and health. Many ignorantly eat and drink whatever they think will fill them. Imagine an individual taking large portions of “EBA” and just little portions of vegetables and meat. This kind of eating habit is detrimental to the health of the consumers. The basic rule for healthy feeding is called “balanced diet”. Balanced diet is a form of standard measure of food in their right proportions. The essence of a balanced meal is to ensure that the nutrients in the food are in correct measures. It is also to ensure that we get the best out of each meal. Diet with a difference is talking about a form of repentance from a harmful eating habit into a better one. Anyone who truly loves himself will try to give himself the best meal he is capable of providing. In changing the kind of food we take in, there are series of ideas that must be put into consideration. In fact, the purpose of changing a diet must be solely for our wellbeing. So, what are the factors we can point fingers at as the issues to be dealt with before changing our diet?
The first factor to be considered of course will be love of sweet foods. Many people literally live on junk foods. The essence of these confectioneries have been tampered with. They are actually meant for relaxation and not for sustenance of health just like a normal food does. It is a common problem that lots of kids love more than enough of these dangerous foods, and that’s why adults must lead by example by trying their best not to give their children the luxury of ingesting excess sugar and thereby endanger their lives.
Also, another factor to be considered is gluttony. Just like the chief in the above story, gluttony is the problem of many children and adults today. Some kids even seem so insatiable and eat in strange manners. This is not right. What many do not understand is that the proportion of food you eat does not determine the functionality of such meal. There has been an idea that when one eats large portions of meals, one gets the best. Well, this is a delusion as eating well is not the same as eating right. Many think they eat well by eating large portions but they are actually not eating right as the food they even take in can serve as a stumbling block to their perfect health. So, gluttony is a beast that must be dealt with. It is also the factor behind the popular health problem called obesity. The bottom line is that ravenous eating is bad.
Moving further, no matter the amount one has in one’s bank account, one’s money cannot buy health when there is a problem with the kidneys or the lungs. Many men today take in too much alcohol. They take in beer, alcohol and other drinks as relaxations and enjoyment. Little do they know that they are moving closer to their early grave. The truth has to be said now because lots and lots of promising young men are going down the drain of kidney problem. If a man cannot control his desire for a drink, how does he control his feelings and emotions in other situations? Well, let’s talk about nutrition most importantly. No man who lives daily on alcohol can sustain a good health for a long time. Let every man including women and young ones stay away from alcohol. Remember that a word, they say, is enough for the wise. Be wise!!!
Another factor is the ignorance and negligence that have filled the minds of so many. It seems like no problem can be cut away from negligence and ignorance as part of its causes. Many know they are doing something wrong but do not want to desist from it. While some do not have the idea of what their ridiculous lifestyle can do to them health-wisely. However, the solution to this is enlightenment by organizations and agencies. Whenever there is a form of education for the people, there tends to be change in the way people see things.
In conclusion, if you don’t determine and choose your diet, your diet will make you. You decide to be any shape, size and weight you desire to be. All you need to do is control your diet. Without doing this, you might not be able to get the bliss that comes with eating right. If your diet makes you, then you are on the wrong path. Take time to discipline yourself and work on your habits. Only then can you achieve what Chief Adeyanju achieved- a diet with a difference. Remember, only you can determine your health. Eat right today and live right after. Always remind yourself that you are what you eat.

Food hygiene are the conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety of food from production to consumption. Food can become contaminated at any point during slaughtering or harvesting, processing, storage, distribution, transportation and preparation. Lack of adequate food hygiene can lead to foodborne diseases and death of the consumer. (World Health Organization, WHO)
The principles of food safety aim to prevent food from becoming contaminated and causing food poisoning.
Reviewing the available statistics, The Center for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) estimates that each year 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalised, and 3,000 die from food poisoning.
There are “Five keys to safer food”, which were developed to educate safe food handling behaviours to all consumers and food handlers.
Promoting safe food handling:
1) Keep clean
2) Separate raw and cooked
3) Cook thoroughly
4) Keep food at safe temperatures
5) Use safe water and raw materials

Each year, 1 in 10 people get ill by eating unsafe food. While food safety is a shared responsibility, individual consumers and food handlers play a huge role in preventing foodborne diseases. “Five keys to safer food” messages were therefore developed, and validated by an independent body of international scientists in 2001, to empower all consumers worldwide with a simple and applicable set of actions to prevent foodborne diseases. (WHO)

How To Ensure Food Hygiene
1) Separate raw foods from ready-to-eat foods.
2) Wash your hands before handling foodstuffs.
3) Wash vegetables and fruits before use.
4) Clean utensils and kitchen equipments.
5) Keep foodstuffs in a conducive environment.
The next episode on “Food Hygiene” will give details of each point mentioned here. Do well to visit our blog often.
Nourish well, live well.

The general consensus between dietitians, nutritionists, and other experts is that saturated fat is less healthful than unsaturated fat. Some researchers believe that saturated fat may increase the risk of heart disease, while others believe moderate amounts might benefit overall health.
According to findings from a 2015 analysis, reducing saturated fat intake may produce a “small but potentially important” decrease in the risk for heart disease. The authors suggest that people reduce their intake of saturated fats and replace some of them with unsaturated fats.
Saturated fat is a type of dietary fat. These fats have single bonds between their molecules and are “saturated” with hydrogen molecules. They are most often solid at room temperature. Foods like butter, coconut and palm oils, red meat, and cheese have high amounts of saturated fat. Too much saturated fat, as earlier mentioned, can lead to heart disease and other health problems.
Saturated fats are bad for your health in several ways:
1) Risk of heart disease
The human body needs healthy fats for energy storage and metabolism, body temperature regulation, and insulation of vital organs, but too much saturated fat can cause cholesterol to build up in the arteries. Saturated fats raise the LDL (bad) cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol increases the risk for heart disease. [LDL = Low Density Lipoprotein]
2) Weight gain
Many high-fat foods such as pizza, fried foods, have a lot of saturated fat. Eating too much fat can add extra calories to your diet and cause you to gain weight.

TIPS FOR A FAT-HEALTHY DIET
1) Be cautious about foods that claim to be fat-free or low in fat. Many of these products contain added sugars and refined carbohydrates to replace the fats. These ingredients can increase caloric intake without any extra nutritional value.
2) Grilling, baking, or steaming foods instead of deep-frying them.
3) Choosing low fat milk instead of whole milk, or lean meat instead of fatty cuts of meat.
4) Switching to healthful fats. Foods such as sardines, avocado and walnuts provide a good amount of unsaturated fats.

Visit this site more often for more relevant information about healthy living. Your welfare is our concern.

Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are sugars and starches that are commonly found in plant foods and distributed world wide. Carbohydrate is the cheapest source of energy among macro nutrients.

Types of carbohydrates
There are more than 200 carbohydrates discovered by scientists. Only eight of them have been recognised to be essential to human health. The carbohydrates are basically divided into two groups : simple and complex carbohydrates. The simple carbohydrates are either monosaccharides (one sugar unit) or disaccharides (two sugar units). Examples of monosaccharides are glucose,fructose,galactose and mannose; sucrose,maltose and lactose are examples of dissaccharides.
Complex carbs or polysaccharides are made up of large molecules of units of sugar. Examples of complex carbs are cellulose, glycogen, pectin, gums and lignin.
Glyconutrients are another complex carbohydrates or saccharides that were discovered in nutrition in 1980’s. There are eight sugar units termed Glyconutrients. These eight glyconutrie nts are fructose, galactose, glucose, mannose, n-acetyl galactosamine, n-acetyl glucosamine,n-acetyl-neuraminic acids and xylose. Interestingly enough, breastmilk contains all these glyconutrients.

Food sources of Carbohydrates

1. Whole grain cereals
2. Legumes, nuts and seeds.
3. Tubers
4. Vegetables

Deficiencies of carbohydrates are very rare. However, in some individuals who may totally cut out carbohydrates in the diet because they want to lose weight, such individuals may be deficient in carbohydrates.

Deficiencies of Carbohydrates

Some of the manifestations of carbs deficiencies are: hypoglycemia, convulsion, tremor, fatigue, muscle atrophy, acidosis etc.
Diseases associated with excessive intake of refined carbohydrates are dental caries, type 2 diabetes, hypoglycemia, hyperactivity, cancer of the kidney, prostate and testes cancer, overweight and obesity.

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Before modern food processing technology came into existence, humans hunted, gathered, and prepared all of their food. They collected berries, ground wheat, grew hearty vegetables, and cooked fresh fish.
Today, you can easily walk into a grocery store and buy prepackaged beef jerky, popcorn, candy, and sweetened beverages with ease. This is due to the fact that most of these foods have food additives that gives the food better qualities and colours that appeals to the sense of taste,smell and sight. But most of these additives we consume in foods comes with some life-threatening diseases that humans currently face. Three of the top five leading causes of death in the world are:
Heart disease
Stroke
Cancer
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasize that maintaining a healthy weight and reducing tobacco use are top contributors to a healthy lifespan.
In addition, a multitude of clinical studies has found that heart disease, stroke, and cancer are related to the diet in many ways.
Have we moved into an era where our biggest threat is ourselves? Plainly put, what we eat matters.
What Are Processed Foods?
Instead of whole foods, a diet high in processed foods is consumed by the average American and virtually everywhere in the world.
Processed foods are any food that has been altered from its natural state. Of course, the majority of the food we eat have been processed, including the head of broccoli you cut and roasted in olive oil for dinner.
Generally speaking, processed foods refer to highly refined food items that have been greatly altered from their original state. You might even be able to define these as ultra-processed foods.
Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations which, besides salt, sugar, oils, and fats, include substances not used in culinary preparations, in particular additives used to imitate sensorial qualities of minimally processed foods and their culinary preparations.
Processed foods include:
White rice
White bread
Pastries
Candy
Sweetened beverages
Deep-fried foods
Protein bars and shakes
Juice
Fruit snacks
Sausage
Bacon
Chips
What Is an Additive?
A food additive is any substance added to food, but it is more often defined as a substance that impacts the taste of food or is used during food processing with a specific purpose.
Food additives are commonly added to food to:

1. Increase shelf life
2. Enhance flavors
3. Reduce the cost of the food item
4. Stabilize a product during treatment
5. Change the food texture
   Additives can also be added to foods in trace amounts indirectly from the packaging. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that food packaging manufacturers provide safety data before using their packaging material.
   Food additives can also be added to food items based on health goals. For example, many companies began to add artificial sweeteners to their products to reduce sugar intake.
   However, the use of additives has raised concerns among health professionals and the general public. Studies now show that the use of food additives may not be as safe as once thought.

Food Additives You Should Avoid
Here are food additives from which you should stay away:

1. Aspartame
   Aspartame is a chemical that was discovered by accident when chemist James M. Schlatter was working on an anti-ulcer drug.
   He mixed two naturally-occurring acids and decided to stick his finger in the mix and taste it. He quickly realized that aspartame had an intensely sweet taste.
   Aspartame was filed to enter the sugar substitute market in 1973 but was not approved until later in 1981.
   The safety of aspartame was approved mainly based on two animal studies, one with use in dogs and the other with use in rats. More studies were conducted in hamsters and monkeys.
   The company owning the rights to aspartame sweeteners faced many critics and trials during their attempt to prove aspartames safety. Certainly, a lack of initial human evidence was unsettling.
   Even decades later, the aspartame debate is still just as hot as it was when it was approved. Studies have linked aspartame consumption (and other artificial sweeteners) to brain tumors in rats, stroke and dementia in humans, and cellular changes in the brain.
   While many scientists believe aspartame to still be safe, it might be best to skip over the sugar-free gum until more conclusive evidence has emerged.
2. Nitrates
   Nitrates are naturally occurring substances often found in vegetables, especially celery. Nitrates are not inherently bad, but studies have shown that excessive intake of nitrates has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, especially colon cancer.
   Nitrates are commonly used in processed meats, including sausage, jerky, and bacon. The World Health Organization released a surprising announcement last year classifying processed meats as group 1 carcinogens (cancer-causing agents).
   Studies have found that excessive consumption of processed meat is linked with increased risk of colorectal cancer. You may be better off without processed meat. Choose fresh nitrate-free cuts instead.
3. High-Fructose Corn Syrup
   High-fructose corn syrup is a highly processed sweetener produced from corn. It is cheap to produce, which is why it is commonly found in foods.
   However, high-fructose corn syrup is also easily absorbed in the body, posing blood sugar complication risks for the consumer. Consuming too much of this sweetener has been linked to insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even high blood pressure.
   Be careful, high-fructose corn syrup sneaks its way into many common food items, which include:
   Ketchup
   Yogurt
   Salad dressings
   Juice
   Canned fruit
   Bread
   Cereal
   Granola/snack bars
   Ice cream
4. Trans Fats
   Unlike naturally occurring saturated and unsaturated fats, trans fats must be created. Trans fats require a reaction catalyst such as nickel.
   Trans fats have been directly linked to multiple diseases. They can raise your bad cholesterol (LDL) while lowering your good cholesterol (HDL).
   Trans fats can also raise your risk of heart disease and stroke and are even associated with type 2 diabetes. Trans fats are often found in pastries, frostings, crackers, and microwave popcorn, and they comprise margarine entirely.
   Thankfully, trans fats are being banned around the world. Seven countries in Europe have now banned trans fats, and the United States joined in 2015, requiring that food companies change their production to remove trans fats by 2021.
5. Sodium
   Is sodium safe to eat? Of course! However, excess sodium quickly becomes a problem when added to foods.
   The American Heart Association recommends that you limit your daily sodium intake to no more than 2,300 mg per day; however, an ideal limit is no more than 1,500 mg per day.
   Foods with excess sodium added can quickly race past the recommended sodium intake. For example, one serving of some types of canned soup can contain 1,000 mg!
   Keep a close eye on the nutrition label of your favorite snacks and meals to reduce your sodium intake and support your heart health.
6. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
   Monosodium glutamate has been widely controversial for a long time. It is one of the most commonly used food additives because it adds a unique taste to foods.
   Also known as the taste of umami, MSG is also called China salt. It gives food a taste that is difficult to describe in comparison to other foods. You could potentially describe MSG as savory.
   However, this mystery spice has been linked to obesity, metabolic disorders, and neurotoxic effects. Animal studies have also found that MSG can affect reproductive organs. Skip foods that include this ingredient and opt for something less processed.
   Dangerous Food Additives for Children
   The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that food additives may be harmful to children, specifically due to their developing organs.
   Dangerous additives for children
   Here are three food additives you should avoid exposing your children to.
7. Bisphenols (Including BPA)
   Bisphenols can mimic the hormone estrogen in the body. Because of this, it can affect a childs developmental process during puberty. This additive may also increase body fat and interfere with the nervous and immune systems.
   Avoid bisphenols by purchasing bisphenol-free cans, water bottles, and plastics that your food or drinks come in contact with.
8. Perfluoroalkyl Chemicals (PFCs)
   Perfluoroalkyl chemicals are found in some food packaging. They do not break down in the body and can accumulate over time.
   These chemicals have been linked to low birth weights and immune, thyroid, and fertility complications. Keep an eye out for food companies that use this chemical in cardboard.
9. Food Coloring
   Dr. Claire McCarthy, a Harvard faculty editor, states that food additives have been found to increase symptoms in children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. They are found in all sorts of food products, but especially those marketed for children.
   While the conclusive evidence on food coloring is still up for debate, it is best not to expose your child or your self to food coloring, especially while they are still developing. Continue to check this page for more enriching post on nutrition and health.

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES ?
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, are not passed from person to person.
In recent years, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and cancers have become emerging pandemics globally with disproportionately higher rates in developing countries.
The 4 main types of non-communicable diseases are cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes (Khairujjaman et al., 2018).
The rapid rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represents one of the major health challenges to global development.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide.
In 2005 NCDs caused an estimated 35 million deaths, 60% of all deaths globally, with 80% in low income and middle-income countries and approximately 16 million deaths in people less than 70 years of age. Total deaths from NCDs are projected to increase by a further 17% over the next 10 years (Samira et al., 2010).
By 2020, it is predicted that these diseases will be causing seven out of every 10 deaths in developing countries. Many of the non-communicable diseases can be prevented by tackling associated risk factors (Boutayeb et al., 2005).
Risk factors of NCDs include smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity and western diet.
Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a rapidly increasing epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), while it continues to face longstanding challenges from infectious diseases.
This double burden of disease could have a devastating impact on a continent that already has significant resource constraints, emphasizing the urgent need for appropriate interventions in the region.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by 2020, NCDs will account for 80 percent of the global burden of disease, causing seven out of every 10 deaths in developing countries, about half of them premature deaths under the age of 70.
According to WHO, it is estimated that the global NCD burden will increase by 17% in the next ten years, and in the African region by 27%.