ASSESSING THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND SELECTED INDIGENOUS FOODS OF PEOPLE IN TWO COMMUNITIES IN ABIA STATE

ABSTRACT

This  study  assesses  the  nutritional  status  and  traditional  foods  of  indigenous people in two communities in Abia State. As a result of the high rate of food insecurity within the indigenous people, local food resources required investigation to identify food use. Secondly to develop food based strategies to combat malnutrition. The study also assesses some indigenous foods with a focus on their seasonality and attributes in two communities in Abia State. It determines the food consumption pattern of Igbo people in these two communities.  It also studies food preparation  and micronutrient  rich foods commonly consumed  among indigenous  people and finally determines  the nutritional status of children between 0-12 years using anthropometric measurement in the communities.

Two hundred  households  (one hundred  from each community)  were randomly selected from lists of households in the communities  selected for this purpose of the study. Structured and validated questionnaire developed by the Global Health Research Group from McGill University, Canada was modified to the community setting and was used to collect information on the traditional food list. Information on macronutrient rich foods, the kind and duration of milk fed to the children and the age of introduction of complementary foods were obtained.

The  result  shows  that  traditional  foods  have  medicinal,  nutritional  and  socio- cultural values. The study also shows that starchy staples are important in the diet of Ohuhu and Ohiya communities in Abia State. They consume the staples in various forms at least once daily.  Crayfish,  dried and ice fish are main sources  of protein and the quantity consume is a function of one’s income. Traditional food systems of indigenous people contain a wealth of micronutrient that have been poorly described and reported in scientific literature. This lack of scientific coverage prevents the information from being included in health training programmes. Fifteen percent (15%) of mothers exclusively breastfed their babies for varying lengths of time. Majority of the mothers breastfed for one  year,  however,  some  women  continued  for  two  years  to  meet  with  the  WHO standards. The findings from weighed food intake show that traditional foods provide over 80% of calorie, protein, vitamin, thiamin riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid for 0-2 years, 3-5 years and 6-12 years. It confirms that indigenous people prefer to consume traditional food to imported foods. About one percent (1%) of 0-2 years old children in Ohuhu were wasted. Two children (0.5%) and six children (3%) were stunted and underweight respectively.  Most malnourished children appeared to be normal to their parents until their weight/height and weight-for-age were compared with expected indicators, respectively. It was observed that in Ohiya, 1% of 0-2 years olds were wasted. Two children (0.5%) were stunted and underweight respectively. There is a significant positive relationship between (P <0.05) traditional food and nutritional status of the indigenous people.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background Information of the Study

Although   world   food   supplies   are   relatively   plentiful   today,   the   rate   of malnutrition is still very high. About a million people are hungry worldwide and numbers are still increasing, women and children being the worst hit (Parks, 1997). The number of malnourished people increased from 400 million in 1960, 455 million in 1970 to 800 million in 2000.

Malnutrition has been dubbed the world’s “silent emergency”, a condition leading to death and disability on a vast scale, particularly among children and women of child bearing age. Malnutrition destroys lives by compromising health, learning, productivity, curiosity,  incentive  and  hope.  Malnutrition  endangers  social  and  economic  cost  that cripples the development of individuals communities and nation.

In 2002, Food and Nutritional Policy was lunched as an effort of the government to address the issue of food insecurity. In Nigeria, one of the objectives was to promote production, consumption and utilization of indigenous foods. Indigenous foods have met with success to correct various forms of malnutrition. Kuhnlein (2003), shows that indigenous foods are culturally acceptable, affordable and readily available to the people.

Indigenous people refers to a cultural group in a particular ecological area that developed a successful subsistence base from the natural resources available (Kuhnlein, 2003). Universally, within communities of indigenous people, there is a knowledge of

natural  resources   that  influences   food  environment   utilized   for  optimal  nutrition (Kuhnlein, 2003). The diet of many indigenous people has changed over time due to a wide availability of alternative foods, as well as changing perceptions and values of food. In Nigeria, indigenous people have a potential loss of knowledge of our nutritious traditional foods and practices due to a lack of use by the younger generation and also the gradual  loss of older  people who knew  much about  these indigenous  and traditional foods. This trend leads led to the youth imbibing western culture/values. This compounds the  already  existing  nutritional  problems  within  the  population.  Poor  micro  nutrient intake and malnutrition are consequences of nutrition transition (WHO, 2003).

Indigenous people need empowerment  through the preservation,  protection and revitalization  of  their  culture.  The  culture  has  been  eroded  by  colonization,  western culture and more recently globalization.  An  assessment of the  traditional  foods of  the people would therefore assist in understanding the indigenous/traditional food uses and advantages.

1.2      Statement of Problem

Many species of both plants and animals are threatened with extinction due to environmental degradation. Indigenous people’s environment worldwide is equally disrupted and destroyed. Some economic, agricultural and health/nutritional conditions of these people depended on their local food sources. Indigenous people have a good and rich   knowledge   of   foods   that   ensure   maintenance   of   good   nutritional   status. Unfortunately,  there is a threat to loss of this knowledge  due to poor use by young members of the society and the elders who knew and used these foods are gradually on the  verge  of  extinction.  Indigenous  people  have  been  recognized  to  have  a  good knowledge of natural resources especially of unique food species, which can be used to attain optimal nutrition and have been said to have up to ninety-nine (99%) of global biodiversity (Kuhnlein, 2003). Social and economic changes are threatening the use and propagation of this knowledge thus worsening further the food insecurity plaguing the indigenous people.

There is need to protect these food sources  by all mankind  (Okeke, Mba and Nwosu 1998). Over the years, food supply has increasingly fallen short of the total food demand.  This  led  to  a  decline  in  productivity  and  is  worsened  by  an  uncontrolled population growth or escalation. Food importation has been the only way the government has tried to supplement the increasing food shortage. Unfortunately, our markets became

flooded with commercially prepackage foods. The production and consumption of most appropriate traditional foods for human beings were underutilized. This led to increased consumption of refined foods. The use of these processed foods has been associated with poor micronutrient intake and development of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease (FAO, 1997).

Advertisement  is  one  of  the consequences  of  industrialization.  It  has  changed dietary habits, promoted the consumption of unnecessary food items and provided misleading information to people. As a result of the high rate of food insecurity within the  indigenous  people,  local  traditional  food  resources  need  investigation  to identify foods for use to develop food based strategies to combat malnutrition. Not much has been done in assessing nutritional status and traditional foods of indigenous people.

1.3      General Objective of the Study

The general objective is to assess the nutritional status and traditional foods of indigenous people in two communities in Abia State, Nigeria.

1.3.1    Specific Objectives were to:

1.        assess indigenous foods, their seasonality and attributes in two communities in

Abia State, Nigeria

2.        determine  the  food  consumption  pattern  of  indigenous  people  in  these  two communities.

3.         study food preparation and micronutrient rich foods commonly consumed among the indigenous people.

4.        determine  nutritional  status  of  children  0-12  years  old  using  anthropometric  /

measurements in the communities.

1.4      Significance of the Study

Indigenous people are the most disenfranchised and poorest members of the larger society (Kuhnlein, 2003). They are targeted by most governments for health promotion and development which are of public health significance. There is usually much poverty within this group and social amenities provided by government for high quality of life are either lacking or are of poor quality in their communities.

The present study is a major endeavour to create awareness and thus promote the survival   of   indigenous   foods   and   culture.   Much   work   has   not   been   done   on documentation  of indigenous  foods of Igbo cultural societies.  This would add to the

available data on indigenous foods of the people. The information would be useful to other scholars and organizations who intend to further investigate the indigenous people and their  foods  such  as  micro  nutrient  initiative,  UNICEF,  WHO,  UN,  FAQ  among others. These bodies are interested in using locally available micro nutrient rich foods to

improve nutritional status.

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