Kenya has reduced stunted growth and underweight problems among children, but obesity remains a major challenge.
Deputy director of Medical Services Peter Cherutich on Friday blamed rising cases of overweight children on negative changes in lifestyles.
According to recent Kenya Demographic Health Survey data, stunting of children under the age of five is at 26 per cent — a significant improvement.
“Our children are getting more obese and almost a third of adults are overweight and obese. This is due to the changing lifestyle and it is becoming a growing concern for the government,” he said during a meeting with health workers on capacity development for nutrition.
“We are getting wealthier. Unfortunately, we are not eating correctly and we have a big problem with physical activity. I wish Kenyans were more active and could eat better. We have a long way to go in improving our nutritional status and reducing our consumption of sugar, alcohol and other unhealthy substances.”
The government has a nutritional policy to deal with these problems and is working to make sure Kenyans, especially children, have better eating habits.
Head of the Nutrition and Dietics Unit in the Health ministry Gladys Mugambi said about 47 per cent of women in Nairobi and Kirinyaga counties are either obese or overweight.
“Forty-five per cent of women in Kenya are anaemic and this impacts on their performance, yet they contribute to the national workforce. It also leads to health compilations during pregnancy,” she said.
She urged wananchi to regulate what they eat and have healthy snacks, not those high in sugar and fat.
“We have a Food Security and Nutrition Policy 2012 that incorporates the agriculture, education, social protection, health and water sectors,” Mugambi said.
“We also want to revisit the school curriculum to include nutrition and develop a school meal and nutrition strategy. These policies will help to deal with not only the food on the table, but also address the issue of soil nutrition.”