As inflation, currency devaluation, and food insecurity continue to bite, many Nigerians are forced to compromise nutrition for survival.
In this interview with Datavox Media, Esther Olorunfunmi Sayo, a nutritionist and lead consultant at Hadassah Nutritional Health Consult, discusses how the country’s economic crisis is reshaping eating habits, driving malnutrition, and what families can do to stay nourished despite rising food prices.
How has Nigeria’s current economic situation affected the eating habits of average households?
Income is the driving force behind changes in eating habits, food choices and diet quality are influenced by food price, household income, economic incentives and nutrition information.
Structural factors such as fuel subsidy removal leading to higher transportation cost, currency devaluation, insecurity disrupting agricultural produce and supply chains causes many to shift from more expensive foods (meats, fish, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruits) towards cheaper staples (pomo, rotten tomatoes), also cutting portion sizes and skipping meals.
From your professional observation, what are the most common nutritional challenges Nigerians face today?
Undernutrition: A large proportion of children under five are stunted (chronically undernourished) — around 40% in the age 6-59 months group according to recent estimates. Wasting (acute malnutrition) and underweight also persist (e.g., wasting ~8%, underweight ~27% in that same age group).
Micronutrient deficiencies (“hidden hunger”): There’s widespread deficiency of key micronutrients: for example, 1 in 3 children are vitamin A deficient; over a third are zinc-deficient; more than 20% suffer iron deficiency, also among women of reproductive age and pregnant women, iron deficiency and vitamin A deficiency are similarly high-risk.
Do you think people are compromising their health in a bid to cut food costs?
Yes, many are compromising their health in a bid to cut food costs. People are prioritizing filling up over eating right. Families buy foods that simply fill the stomach like garri, rice, cassava flour, and bread, while cutting down on nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, fish, milk, and lean meat.
What are some affordable but highly nutritious local foods that families can rely on during tough economic times?
Each tribe has its own unique local foods, rich in culture and nutrition. Unfortunately, many of these traditional foods are gradually going into extinction.
If we can return to our local, natural foods and reduce our dependence on packaged and processed foods, including embracing our locally grown rice — we’ll enjoy more nutritious and wholesome meals. We can replace meat or fish with available seafoods like periwinkle and also locally picked snail can be a good source of protein.
How can people plan balanced meals when food prices keep fluctuating?
Focus on local and imported food: Imported foods are often expensive due to exchange rates and transport costs. Instead, buy foods in season and locally produced items — they’re fresher, cheaper, and more nutritious.
Have home garden and small livestock.
Grow: Ugu, spinach, okra, scent leaf, tomatoes, pepper.
Rear: Local chickens or snails for eggs and meat.
This ensures a steady food supply and reduces market spending.
Buy raw ingredients and cook at home; processed foods are costly and less nutritious and always plan your meals ahead.
Can you share practical tips for maintaining a healthy diet on a tight budget?
Yes, it’s possible to eat healthy even with limited income.
Plan meals weekly: This helps avoid impulse buying and food waste.
Buy in bulk: Purchase grains, beans, and tubers in larger quantities to save costs.
Cook in batches: Prepare stews, soups, and sauces in bulk and refrigerate to save fuel and time.
Combine foods wisely: Pair carbohydrate sources with proteins — like rice and beans, yam and egg, or pap with groundnut.
Use affordable protein sources: Eggs, beans, groundnuts, soybeans, crayfish, and local fish are highly nutritious.
Avoid junk foods: Processed snacks and soft drinks may look cheap but provide little nutrition.
Consistency and creativity with local ingredients can go a long way in keeping a family healthy.
Are Nigerians generally aware of the nutritional value of the foods they eat?
I can say, not enough knowledge.
How can nutrition education help people make better food choices despite rising costs?
When people understand how food works, they can make smarter, affordable, and nourishing choices. Nutrition education teaches people why certain foods matter. It combats misinformation and harmful food myths.
It improves child and maternal nutrition: How to enrich pap with soy or crayfish.
What common misconceptions do you often encounter about dieting or healthy eating in Nigeria?
Only rich people can have a healthy diet.
How can cultural food preferences be leveraged to promote better nutrition?
Encouraging people to eat healthy doesn’t mean introducing foreign foods.
Leverage what’s already known, loved, and available.
What are the long-term health risks of consistently eating poorly due to economic hardship?
Consistently eating low-quality or unbalanced diets leads to protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), where the body lacks both calories and protein.
Hypertension (due to excess salt and seasoning cubes)
Type 2 diabetes (from high sugar and refined carbs)
Heart disease and stroke (from low fruit/vegetable intake and trans fats)
Are you noticing any increase in diet-related illnesses, such as diabetes or hypertension, linked to poor food quality or affordability?
Yes, there is clear evidence that diet-related illnesses such as Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension are increasing in Nigeria, and research strongly links this rise to changing dietary patterns, food affordability pressures, and broader economic and lifestyle transitions.
How can individuals strike a balance between satisfying hunger and maintaining nutritional quality?
Prioritise nutrient density over quantity: Choose foods that provide more nutrients, such as beans, eggs, soy products, groundnuts, millet, and local vegetables. These fill you up and nourish you, unlike refined foods that satisfy hunger briefly but add little nutritional value.
Limit processed and empty-calorie foods: Snacks, instant noodles, and sugary drinks are tempting but often nutrient-poor. Reducing these frees up money for better options like grains, legumes, and vegetables.
Embrace traditional diets and practice portion control.
Read also:Kyari Appeals for Coordinated Action to Achieve Food Security
