GUARDIAN NG
Did you know that poor nutrition claims more lives than tobacco each year? Experts say unhealthy eating habits are now responsible for 11 million preventable deaths globally. In Nigeria, financial constraints, food inaccessibility, and busy lifestyles force many to resort to unhealthy meals out of convenience. But this can change in 2025.
“It is not my fault I eat an unhealthy diet,” says Roseline Chukwuma, her tired smile revealing her struggles. At 31, Roseline spends her weekdays working as a shopkeeper on the bustling Lagos Island, only to return home too exhausted to cook later in the day.
“Buying food outside is too expensive, so I survive on junk food and soft drinks. Most times, I don’t eat real meals,” she confesses.
For 42-year-old auto mechanic Tunde Adewale, energy drinks have become a staple. “I work long hours in the sun, and by 12 PM, my body gives up, like I want to die. Energy drink gives me the boost I need,” he admits.
But the temporary fix comes at a price. “At night, I can’t sleep. Sometimes, my chest hurts, but what can I do? Cooking takes time I don’t have, and I have mouths to feed. I have three children.”
Grace Adebayo, 47, is a widow and seamstress struggling to provide for her four children. “I can’t afford to buy fresh vegetables or fruits often, so I eat bread and soft drinks most times,” she explains. “Whatever little money I have goes to my children’s school fees and food.”
Her voice quivers as she adds, “I feel weak all the time, and they have told me at the hospital that I have high blood pressure, but I don’t see how I can change things. Life is hard for me.”
As the new year progresses, health experts have warned that diets high in sugar, salt, and fat fuel the rise in diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes…
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