CHIOMA UMEHA
Eight
young Nigerian nutritionists have been awarded cash prizes by
FrieslandCampina WAMCO, makers of Peak and Three Crowns milk for their
excellent scientific research presentations at the just concluded 47th Annual
General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference of the Nutrition Society of
Nigeria.
The
awardees are all Master of Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
students below age 35. They are Ifeoma Ezeh, Yetunde Ogundairo, Chukwuka
Oluebube and Joy Amadi. Others are Michael Oderinde, Ebunoluwa Odeyinde,
Chinenye Ekwueme and John Ebenezer.
Tagged
“Controversies in Nutrition: Separating Facts from Fads and Fallacies” the
five-day conference was held at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, and it had
over 600 participants.
FrieslandCampina
WAMCO also championed fitness routines for the delegates. The company organised
15-minute twice-daily Three Crowns milk-sponsored aerobic sessions that drew
attention to the need for everyone to stay fit and healthy with the right
nutrition and daily exercises. Participants enjoyed a 30-minute cardio session
on the last day of the conference.
Dr.
Bartholomew Brai, President of Yetunde Ogundairo, also called attention to
worsening nutrition indices in Nigeria. He said, “The increased social media
influence on food choices of Nigerians, which are mere fads and fallacies are
affecting the health of our populace negatively.”
Keynote
speaker at the conference, Professor I. A. Onimawo highlighted key
controversies in nutrition that affect infant and young child feeding, food
consumption, diet-related non-communicable diseases and healthy diets.
In a communiqué issued
after the conference held September from 19 to 23, the Nutrition Society of
Nigeria called on government to ensure nutrition security in the country
through budgetary allocations and institutionalizing nutrition in relevant
ministries and agencies of government.
