Nutrition: Why Many Liberians do not eat nutritional food
… An Expert view on the matter and recommendation – By: WASH R&E “Media” Network – Nutrition is a critical part of health and development. Better nutrition is related to improved infant, child and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease), and longevity.
In Liberia, Liberian cuisine is centered on the consumption of rice, cassava, plantain, yam, tropical fruits and vegetables (potatoes, greens, cassava leaf, okra, cabbage), as well as fish, meat, and more. Liberia also has a tradition of baking, including cornbread, sour bread, rice bread, banana bread, and cakes.
The stable foods for Liberian people in general are rice, cassava, eddoes, palm oil, yams, potatoes, various vegetable greens, and occasionally fish. Rice and cassava are the two foods popularly available to nearly Liberian homes.
Low food diversity and a lack of animal protein is a real concern for Liberia’s rural population, with Liberians highly rice dependent.
While most Monrovians complement their daily rice with meat or fish and vegetables, those living outside the capital consume meat and fish far less regularly.
An expert View on the matter
According to Dr. Annette Brima Davies, Director of Nutrition at the Ministry of Health-Liberia, awareness on the importance of Nutritional Diet is one of the factors to be considered.
Dr. Davies revealed that if the necessary information and awareness is created, many Liberians will certainly develop interest in eating nutritional foods often.
The nutritionist also said the economic situation is another factor that is contributing to the low consumption of nutritional diet by many Liberians.
“It is difficult for a typical Liberian to just avoid eating rice to consuming eddoes or plantain”, she pointed out.
She commanded WASH R&E “Media” for the improved level of awareness on Nutrition, and called for support to the media to increase the awareness and education on Nutrition across the country.
She encourages Liberians to get involved in making backyard gardens where some of these nutritional plants can be grown for consumption.
In an interview with some Liberians on the issue of balanced Diet, the interviewees also stressed the need for urgent awareness on eating a nutritional diet by Liberians.
They commended donors for creating the platform and supporting the government’s efforts in tackling the issue of Nutrition in Liberia.
Though there is no direct budget line for Nutrition in the National budget, the Government of Liberia in concert with donor partners is exerting and exploring all mediums to ensure that nutrition is prioritized.
The Liberian government is committed to providing a comprehensive package of nutrition services but more needs to be done.
Policies, guidelines and laws on nutrition need to be updated. Only half of all health facilities routinely provide nutritional services and 40 percent of the population has limited access to health care, according to UNICEF survey.
URGENT NEED TO DIVERSIFY LIBERIAN DIET
From stats gathered by UNICEF about 45% of households in the rest of the country do not consume this protein rich food group at all, whilst they rarely consume milk or fruits.
Nationally 27% of Liberians have low dietary diversity, but this figure masks the wide gap between those in the capital and those outside (2.4% of Monrovians vs. 41% of others).
At county level, for example in Bomi, Bong, Grand Kru, River Gee and Maryland the proportion with low diversity is close to half (49.6%), while in Rivercess the prevalence is as high as 60%.
A worrying 7% of households in Grand Kru, 6% in Maryland and 5% in Rivercess consume a diet that consists only of staples and vegetables. More than one in three Liberian households has unacceptable food consumption. Of these, 4% have poor consumption, which means they consume an extremely unbalanced diet that is likely calorie deficient c and mainly consists of a daily staple (generally rice) flavored with some fish condiment.
The 30% of households with borderline consumption supplement their daily staple consumption with vegetables and oils about six days a week. They eat small amounts of fish and meat regularly, but as condiments rather than as a source of protein.
The need for more awareness on national level and economic empowerment will play a pivotal role in encouraging Liberians to consume nutritional diets.
