Kwara unveils programme to promote healthy eating habits

The Kwara State Government has launched a new campaign to promote healthy eating among families, as part of activities marking World Nutrition Day.

The campaign, called “Eat a Rainbow”, was unveiled on Wednesday and encourages people to eat a mix of colourful foods, like fruits and vegetables, every day to stay healthy and fight malnutrition.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who was represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Hauwa Nuru, said the campaign is part of efforts to improve the health of people in the state.

“This campaign is more than just about fruits and vegetables. It is a call to action, a reminder that the choices we make today directly shape the future of our children, families, and communities,” the Governor said.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina El-Imam, also gave simple tips on how people can eat well without spending too much.

“It doesn’t have to be expensive. Add groundnuts to your garri, mix moimoi with your pap, toss vegetables like efo tete and gbure into every meal,” she said.

The First Lady of Kwara, Olufolake AbdulRazaq, who was represented by John Bello, praised the campaign and asked families to take nutrition seriously.

Guest speaker, Prof. Fausat Kolawole, said poor eating habits, poverty, and too much fast food are some of the reasons children and even adults suffer from malnutrition. She advised parents to cook healthy meals at home using local ingredients.

The campaign comes as the government revealed that 6.1% of children under the age of five in the state are still suffering from malnutrition.

Dr. El-Imam said the number of malnourished children has gone down from 7.3% in 2018 to 6.1% now, but many children still need help.

“Today, this figure is down to 6.1% of under-five children in Kwara State, meaning an estimated 50,744 children need immediate support from wasting,” she said at the event.

Wasting is a form of malnutrition where a child is too thin for their height, often caused by not eating well or being sick for a long time.

El-Imam said the government is working hard to further bring the numbers down and has trained health workers to help children and mothers get better nutrition at health centres and in local communities.

The event was attended by many government officials and traditional rulers, including the Emir of Shonga, Dr. Haliru Yahaya, and Balogun Alanamu, Dr. Abubakar Jos.

The government said it will continue to spread the “Eat a Rainbow” message across the state to help families eat better and keep children healthy.