Less than 3 million Kenyans, against a population of more than 40 million, consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables while more than 10 million Kenyans add salt to their food before or while eating, a study has shown.
In addition, 13 percent of Kenyans are obese with a majority being women at 8.9 percent and 4.3 percent being men. This translates to about 3.7 million women being obese and 1.8 million men.
This is according to a study released by the Ministry of Health based on a survey conducted between April and June last year.
WHO has recommended that people should eat at least 5 or more portions of fruits and vegetables per day.
The Ministry of Health has said it will embark on a drive to create awareness and urge Kenyans to adopt healthier lifestyles. This will help prevent and manage the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases.
Head of the Non Communicable Diseases Division Dr. Joseph Kibachio argued that Kenyans should be large consumers of fruits and vegetables owing to the fact that the country was a producer of agricultural products.
