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  • Experts: douching dangerous

    Experts: douching dangerous

    Experts have cautioned women on vaginal douching, saying that it is dangerous to their health. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA reports.

    Women have been warned against douching. Experts say it is harmful.

    Gynaecologists and oncologists gave the warning at the free screening for breast and cervical cancer for women journalists during the monthly programme of the Health Writers  Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) tagged Meet Health Writers Forum.

    Douching is the washing of the vagina with hot water, vinegar, antiseptic, herbal preparations, and alum or other materials.

    Some women prefer to sit on a potty containing these materials. Douches sold in drugstores and supermarkets contain antiseptics and fragrances. They come in bottles or bags.

    Douching is different from washing the outside of the vagina during a bath or shower. Rinsing the outside of it with warm water does not harm the vagina. But douching can lead to various health problems, the experts said.

    Chief Executive Officer, Sebeccly Cancer Care and Support Centre, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Omolola Salako, and a Consultant Gynaecologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Dr Kehinde Okunade, said women should avoid douching because it could harm the vagina.

    Changes in the composition of the bacteria in the vagina, Okunade said, could lead to infections, such as yeast infections.

    Salako, a consultant oncologist, said douching could lead to the spread of harmful bacteria in the reproductive tract if the vagina is infected. Any strong odour or irritation means something is wrong, he said.

    According to Okunade, a healthy vagina has good and harmful bacteria. Balanced bacteria helps maintain an acidic environment. This protects the vagina from infections or irritation. Douching can cause an overgrowth of the harmful bacteria. This could lead to yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. If a woman has vaginal infection, douching could push the bacteria causing it into the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. This could lead to a pelvic inflammatory disease, which is a serious problem. Another is vaginitis, an inflammation of the vagina.

    “Vaginitis can be caused by an infection with yeast, bacteria, or Trichomonas, but vaginitis also can be caused by non-infectious causes, for example, physical or chemical irritation, such as douches, soaps, or fragrances, spermicides or reduced estrogen levels around the time of menopause. Women, who douche more than once a week have more difficulty getting pregnant than those who do not. Douching may also increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy by as much as 76 per cent. With an ectopic pregnancy, the embryo implants outside the uterus. The more a woman douches, the greater the risk of having an ectopic pregnancy,” Okunade said.

    He said douching is a harmful cultural practice and women who practice it for any reason should stop. “These beliefs are false, and douching is not necessary to ‘clean’ the vagina. Douching also does not protect against pregnancy or against sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), women should simply not use soap at any time,” Okunade said.

    Okunade said the best way to clean the vagina is to let it clean itself and it does so naturally by making mucous. The mucous washes away blood, semen, and vaginal discharge.

    “If you are worried about vaginal odour, talk to your doctor or nurse. But you should know that even healthy, clean vaginas have a mild odour that changes throughout the day. Physical activity also can give your vagina a stronger, muskier scent, but this is still normal. Keep your vagina clean and healthy by: washing the outside of it with warm water when you bathe. Some women also use mild soaps. But, if you have sensitive skin or any infections, even mild soaps can cause dryness and irritation. Avoid scented tampons, pads, powders, and sprays. These products may increase your chances of getting an infection,” he explained.

    He said more frightening is douching once weekly, adding that this could lead to cervical cancer, adding that cervical cancer is killing more people worldwide than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria put together.

    “Over 14, 550 Nigerian women are inflicted with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) – the major cause of cancer of the cervix. In spite of these statistics, there is evidence that utilisation of screening for prevention of the disease is poor in Nigeria. I am calling on women of reproductive age to observe regular cervical cancer screening because any woman, who is sexually active, is at risk,” Okuade said.

    Salako said early detection through screening and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions remained the best  protection against cancer of the cervix, saying cervical cancer is the most common female cancer among women in Nigeria after breast cancer, which is caused by the HPV transmitted through sex, and it could cause an infection in the cervix (the neck of the womb).

    “Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop and spread in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus. More new cases are diagnosed each year in Nigeria. The unique fact about cervical cancer is that most cases are triggered by a type of virus. When found early, cervical cancer is highly curable,” he said.

    Salako said it could take between 10 and 15 years for the cells of the cervix to grow abnormal and become cancerous, “this window period is when screening is done to detect any abnormality in the cervix and prevent cervical cancer. A woman can reduce the risk of cervical cancer by delaying age of first sexual experience; avoid multiple sexual partners, alcohol and smoking.

    “The girl-child should be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine  nine and women should go for regular screening. Cervical cancer is the easiest female cancer to prevent and the death rate is unacceptable,” she said.

    Salako said there was the need to improve the awareness and treatment of this silent killer among women.

  • Dangerous viral diseases and the urgency of now (2)

    Antimicrobial resistance

    In the past ten to sixteen years, poverty, ignorance and corruption have in many ways prevented   the ordinary man and his family from getting  access to the basic necessities of life including, food, water, shelter, electric power ,basic education and essential medicines. Most importantly, access to essential medicines is either non existent or plagued with bureaucratic red tapes designed to enrich  those who manufacture medicines and the middle men who do the marketing . Consequently, any person who develops symptoms commonly associated with viral diseases has so much thinking to do that he may succumb more from illness related stress than the tissue damage brought in by the attack.  Also,fake ,adulterated and expired medicines are never in short supply . Driven by the fear of dying and the understandable urge to get well, patients ingest large quantities of these killer medicines in wrong dosages, formulations , combinations, and for the wrong reasons .In addition,  chemical compounds  and drugs used  in pesticides and  herbicides have gone into meat, poultry and diary products that are consumed daily by every one, including pregnant women, mothers and children. This is particularly made worse by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics  and hormones by farmers to fast forward growth and by the buyers /sellers of fish ,meat ,fruits and vegetables who routinely employ antibiotics ,some of them expired to mask putrefaction. At the end, what we have is antimicrobial resistance such that  drugs used in the treatment of diseases caused by bacteria , fungi, parasites and viruses are no longer effective

    Global warming

    Countries in Africa including  Nigeria  are  seasonally hot ,but gas flaring and other  manufacturing  industry related activities have increased the temperature over these regions; thereby creating conditions which  disturb  herd immunity, and  favor the emergence of strange diseases including those caused by viruses

    Driven away out from their natural habitat, many of the vectors which carry these dangerous viruses are coming closer to one another and to human habitation. Similarly, industrialization including oil exploration and mining, and rural urban migration have begun to bring humans closer to the vectors which serve as agents to facilitate transmission of these disease

    Nature of the viruses

    Viruses are indeed special entities. Theyexist in particles and only need to assemble these particles to become viable disease causing microbes. They have the capacity to cause diseases and kill at different stages of formation and life cycle of the human cell.More overthey can remain compartmentalized in parts of the body such as the eyes, testes and brain, where local barriers exist that shield them from attack by the body’s immune cells. They can remain silent in these areas for months and years, while being transmitted, when and wherever the conditions are favorable

    Virusesare capable of transforming into many different forms. Rapid mutations and the presence of subtypes makes it difficult to adequately study them and to target them with vaccines and anti viral agents.  It is also by this processes that viruses kill indirectly by causing cancers.To date, there is no cure for measles , not to talk of HIV, Ebola  virus disease and Hepatitis B. The antiviral agent for Lassa virus appears to be working , but as explained above there is need to carry out research to better understand the mechanisms involved and find answers to many questions.

    Viruses target specific and vital organs of the body including those blood forming elements responsible for the control of bleeding, and those needed to transport vital nutrients to different tissues of the body .They turn relevant organs of an infected person into factories for manufacturing all that they need to remain viable and cause disease . They are thus  empowered  with  endless supply of apparatus to kill  police and soldier cells of the body and to dodge these immune cells when charged as may occur for example when challenged with drugs.

     

    Way Forward

    It has been argued that the failure of previous governments since independence to create strategic reserves of oil is the reason why Nigerians have continued to surfer the pain of recurrent scarcity of petroleum products and the attendant inflation. In the same way, there is urgent need for every Nigerian to have reserves of water, energy, protein, hemoglobin and antibodies, so that the capacity to fight off invading microbial agents is strategically , systematically and favorably improved. It is particularly dangerous for any country to have issues with water when in the mist of  outbreaks and pandemics of dangerous viral diseases

    There is now nothing like the average Nigerian. Governments and law makers(federal and state) should every now and then spare moments to  think of the ordinary people who elected them. It should be considered  a crime against humanity for a political office holder in Nigeria to spend four million dollars on a toy car when there are people eating from waste bins and dump sites.

    Just As There Are Marketers Of Petroleum Products All Over The Place  In Search For Subsidy And Foreign Exchange (forex), Let Us Also Have Mechanised Farming And  Marketers Of Agricultural Products Such As Harvesters, Incubators, Milking Machines,  And Farmers Unions Asking  For Subsidy And Forex

    To ensure food security, Governments can  set up school to land programs across the country  and encourage small  home gardens for vegetables by  empowerment( mainly of women cooperatives)

    Pension ,social welfare and Health insurance schemes should be sanitized to improve the overall health status of  ALL citizens

    Now is the time to take a critical look at our surveillance system in terms of  how we have handled pandemics of viral diseases in the recent past, where we are now  and where we ought to be in terms of our current strength and weaknesses.  Around the air, land and sea routes, medical

    surveillance teams can work in close cooperation with immigration , security and Port health officials to make the system more efficient. If Liberia has closed her border with Guinea, we should appreciate the extent of the problem and ensure that our own borders do not now become alternative routes for carriers of Ebola Virus

    All currently available gadgets necessary to handle Ebola virus disease, should be kept in readiness.Training and retraining of old and new health personnel should be kept alive.

    Instead of spending billions of naira on hand sanitizers, simple and cheaper solutions can be made from locally available materials such as alcohol(70%) and household bleach(5% or 10% hypochlorite . They can then be distributed through existing channels

    Now that the 2016  budget has been passed into law, let implementation begin immediately so monies can be spent as spelt or outlined in the papers. There should be at least, a standard well equipped reference , clinical hematology and microbiology hospital in every state ,with quick response medical and research  teams, so we can reduce capital flight from medical tourism overseas and have  reliable country specific data for planning health programs and strategies

    The federal government can do more than putting water and food on the table for Nigerians; conditions that create conflicts and wars should be dealt with as quickly as is humanly possible. The population of Nigerians displaced by internecine is alarming and if we  are unfortunate to have any of these deadly viral diseases brought into any part of Nigeria and into any of the camps, there will be  a disaster of immense proportions

    Health education

    This should be a continuous process designed to reach even remote areas of the countries and not just city centers. Every one should be involved but specifically, village and school heads, community leaders, politicians and non governmental organizations. Let religious leaders preach well and correctly what will encourage good health practices

    The Alien link

    Though it has been around for some time now and has not yet begun to receive attention, it is believed that the solution to viral diseases exist in yet to be discovered entities living out there in space and identifying them will provide insight for their ultimate destruction.

  • Swaziland’s coach to players: Eagles can be dangerous

    Swaziland’s coach to players: Eagles can be dangerous

    Swaziland will play cautiously against Nigeria when the sides clash in the first leg of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Lobamba on Friday.

    Coach Harris Bulugna, who spoke exclusively with www.footballlive.ng, insists the Eagles will be accorded respect as a ‘super power’- footballing nation- on the continent when the sides file out in the qualifiers.

    ”We are facing one of the super powers in African football and we cannot get carried away, or go all out and attack even though we’re playing at home; we still have to respect the Nigerian team because they are made of mostly professional players from overseas who we watch on television.

    ”We know what they are all capable of and how dangerous they can be, so we need to be very careful. But we promise a good, fair and good game.”

    Swaziland hosts Nigeria on Friday at the Somhlolo National Stadium.

  • Group cautions scholars against dangerous preaching

    Group cautions scholars against dangerous preaching

    AN Islamic group Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah Islamic Society (ASWAJIS), has urged scholars to avoid ‘dangerous’ preaching.

    ASWAJIS said Muslims have been facing problems from negative ideologies by different sects.

    The group issued communiqué in Kaduna by Sheikh Binyamin Yusuf and Abdul Waheed Abdul Azeez, its Chairman and Secretary, after a two-day training for Islamic preachers for Ramadan.

    ASWAJIS said such preaching was alien to Islam.

    The group enjoined Muslim preachers to acquired Islamic knowledge to guide their colleagues  toward the path of truth.

    “ASWAJIS hailed the new Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammad Buhari, in combating insurgency. It prayed for the success of the new government, especially in finding lasting solution to corruption, economy and insurgency.

    The programme, third of its kind drew participants from Kaduna State and its environs.

    Personalities at the event included: Sheikh Tukur Isa, the Chairman of Izalatul Bid’ah was Iqamatus Sunnah Society (JIBWIS), Kaduna State, Sheikh Muhammad Sulaiman,  ASWAJIS Amir Sheikh Sani Yakubu, the head of JIBWIS, Zaria Chapter, among others.

     

  • APC, NASS crises, dangerous for Buhari’s govt, says Shehu Sani

    APC, NASS crises, dangerous for Buhari’s govt, says Shehu Sani

    A senator warned yesterday that the rumbling within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) poses a threat to the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central) said the APC had found itself in a tight corner in the National Assembly crisis.

    To Sani, who spoke with reporters in Kaduna, the APC is witnessing a post- revolutionary crisis.

    “It is true that our party is facing a serious post-election crisis in terms of the challenge of uniting all APC senators. Mistakes were made but, naturally, all revolutions are always faced with post-revolutionary crises.

    “And we are now facing our own post-revolutionary crisis and by the grace of God, we are going to overcome it.

    “Those from PDP who thought that the division that exists within the ranks of the senators of the APC is an opportunity for them to re-establish themselves in power are making a very big mistake. We have a very big problem among ourselves but it is going to be addressed.

    “I have to commend the effort of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in trying to reconcile both the Unity Forum led by Senator Lawan and the Like Minds led by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki. Such kind of reconciliation is needed for the party to make progress.

    “Divisions within the senators, if not addressed, pose a serious threat to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and his capacity to deliver. President Buhari needs APC senators to be united and in one voice and to also work collectively and in harmony with policies and programmes of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.”

    Sani debunked the insinuation that moves were on to impeach Senator Ike Ekweremadu, describing the situation that led to emergence of Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate President as “unfortunate”.

    On the economy, Sani said: Change in Nigeria can only be of value if it makes meaning to the lives of the common people. Those common people who suffered for years, killed and used their thumbs to install us into power.

    “We have been elected by the people on the promise of change and we will, by the grace of God, live up to that expectation.

    “We are conscious of the high level of expectation on the side of the people as far as their aspiration and needs are concerned. We will do everything possible, despite the realities and challenges we are going to face to address these very issues.

    “I will use this opportunity as a senator to identify with the need for all people in the position of power, whether Executive, Legislative or the Judicial arm of the state to make sacrifices towards reviving our own economy. I understand the outcry over our allowances, wages and salaries.

    “Let me be very clear to you that I’m yet to receive even N1. And I’m yet to get alert from anybody and my own views on this remain proposition.

    “I identify with all Nigerians who believe, or suggested that public office holders should make sacrifices so that the sacrifice could restore the economy.

    “So I’m fully in support of these sacrifices that need to be made by lawmakers, particularly senators and members of the House of Representatives, governors and state legislatures.

    “But I will also make it clear that impoverishing the legislature will not be the magic wand that will restore our economy back. All Nigerians must, in every respect ,monitor budget and become vigilant and be an agent in the fight against corruption and then we can stop waste and improve the economy.”

     

  • ‘Salad dressing dangerous to health’

    ‘Salad dressing dangerous to health’

    Salad dressings, especially commercial mayonnaise, are not good for one’s health, a medic, Dr Godwin Ihesie, has warned.

    In an interview with The Nation, the medic said mayonnaise could lead to obesity, arthritis and cardio vascular diseases.

    Ihesie, who said he was trained by the late natural health practitioner Mrs Elizabeth Kafaru, said there are some chemicals in mayonnaise that are unhealthy. “It is not everybody that can eat Omega-6 fats that are often present in most mayonnaise. As commercial mayonnaise is most often made with soybean oil, corn oil or other vegetable oil blends that are high in omega-6 fats.’’

    Noting that omega-6 fatty acids are essential to health, he said omega-3 are not. ‘’This unhealthy ratio,’’ he said, ‘’increases one’s risk of developing heart diseases, cancers, Type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis, as well as inflammatory and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Even mayonnaise that is labelled as containing olive oil, a healthier, lower omega-6 fat, only contains a very small portion of fats from olive oil; the majority of the oils still come from soybean oil or other high omega-6 oils.”

    Besides, these dangerous fillings, Ihesie said artificial ingredients also abound in mayonnaise. “In addition to containing pro-inflammatory omega-6 oils and added sugars, commercial mayonnaise also contains a lot of artificial ingredients, such as preservatives, additives and monosodium glutamate, or MSG. A fresh homemade mayonnaise can be kept for a week at the most in your fridge, while the commercially produced ones can keep for months. The chemical and processed ingredients added to mayonnaise are generally recognised as safe, but some people experience side effects, such as headaches, nausea and weakness, when consuming foods containing these ingredients,” he added.

    However, Ihesie said the problems in some salad dressings can be avoided if one’s prepares them oneself and folow some steps.

    “To avoid the many health disadvantages of commercial mayonnaise, make your own with healthier oils and no sugar or artificial ingredients. A classic mayonnaise recipe includes egg yolks, oil, lemon juice or vinegar and seasonings. Use avocado oil, olive oil or other natural oil to lower your omega-6 intake, while getting more of the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Add turmeric, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, hot sauce or curry powder to make gourmet versions of healthier mayonnaise.’’

    He continued: “Regular mayonnaise contains about one gramme of sugar per tablespoon, which is not that high if you limit yourself to a tablespoon or two. However, if you think that you are making a healthy choice by choosing light, low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise, think again. Fat-reduced mayonnaise has the disadvantage of containing a lot more added sugar, with over four grammes per tablespoon, which is the equivalent of a full teaspoon of sugar per tablespoon of mayonnaise. Mayonnaise, especially the low-fat variety, is not a good choice if you are trying to eat healthier and manage your blood sugar levels.’’

    Despite these demerits, Ihesie allayed fears about eating salads. He said a meal of it daily is beneficial to the body. He described salad is the healthiest and simplest food. Their vegetables and fruits content, he said, can add to one’s fat and still get its benefits.

    He listed one of the benefits of salad to include fibre, which guards against constipation and lowers cholesterol. “The fibre in salads assists people to feel fuller and thus eat less. This is, especially, helpful for those looking to shed some weight. Because salads are quite satisfying, consuming one before your main meal will lessen the amount of calories that you eventually consume. A lower calorie intake due to the fibre content also encourages weight loss.’’

    Ihesie said studies have shown that some Nigerians do not consume the healthy recommended daily servings of vegetables and fruits. ‘’Regular consumption of a salad,’’ he said, “offers a suitable alternative of getting vegetables and fruits, which are filled with many nutrients that contribute to healthy bodies.”

    He added: “If you regularly consume green salads, you are likely to have higher levels of blood with various powerful antioxidants. Vegetables contain important antioxidants, such as vitamin C, lycopene, beta carotene and folic acid that prevent free radical damage. Antioxidants are also beneficial in guarding against premature ageing. Through consuming salads, you are actually enhancing your good fat consumption. This is done through incorporating avocado, nuts or oil into your salad. This helps the body to better absorb phytochemicals into the body.”

  • ‘Electoral violence dangerous for democracy’

    ‘Electoral violence dangerous for democracy’

    All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu spoke with reporters, shortly after he cast his vote at Alausa, Ikeja, on the conduct of the governorship and parliamentary elections, security arrangement and danger of electoral violence. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

    What is your assessment of the election so far?

    I think the INEC has prepared well and organised the election well. The card reader is working, unlike last time when the card reader was not recognising voters. This time, at first attempt, I was recognised and accredited. The voting process is smooth and the organisation of the voting process is well done. The only thing we will be looking out in the future is something that will help the INEC to improve. The card reading process is no more dependable, easy and understandable very well. Then, we can just be accredited and go straight to voting. It will reduce the cases of accrediting, going back and not returning to vote or the congestion that is building up at the polling units.

    What is your reaction to the low turnout of voters?

    The low turnout is not a big deal yet. It appears that people are not excited as other places in this area. The assessment of the turnout should be based on the demographic evaluation of the various constituencies across the state. I can’t comment much about that now. Observers can comment much more about that.

    What is your assessment of the security situation?

    The security situation, to me, is too early to assess. So far so good. I cannot use the situation in one polling unit to measure the security arrangement. There are reports. The alarming one is the lack of police reliability. We heard that the AIG was to take charge of the security and the Commissioner of Police, more or less, relegated to an Area Commander and the DIG is now the Commissioner of Police in charge of elections. That is not good enough in the confidence building process. If there is no reason for it, it should not be possible for anybody, no matter highly placed, to make an oral posting of the police officers.

    There have been reports about violence in Rivers State…

    It is barbaric. We have to remove violence from our body politic. Election is about people and service to the people. That is why democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. It is not a process of gun and war and violence. It is power by all means necessary that leads to violence. We need to eschew that, allow the process to run its course, nurture the institutions of democracy, respect the rule of law and the lives and property of Nigerians. The right of the people to choose their own leader for a specific period of time should be respected. All these riggings, violence are not necessary. You are talking about low turnout. When there is violence and harassment, there will be low turnout. When there is escalation of violence and the lives of people are threatened, every hour every week, we are given the impression that we are not civilised. We are educated. What is the value of our education? If the police and army is used to terrorise people as the police and army of one man or one party in power, the country is heading for danger. For every action, there will be a reaction.

    Throughout the week, before the election, there were a lot of gunshot across the state. That was scaring to the people. That is why they didn’t come out. That is a method of rigging. It is because you are not popular. If you are popular, you will want the crowd to be there and make their choice. The abuse of  power in this nation must stop. It takes a commonsense revolution to do that.

     

  • ‘Obesity exposes a child to dangerous health conditions’

    ‘Obesity exposes a child to dangerous health conditions’

    Mrs. Iwalola Akin-Jimoh, a nutritionist and member, advisory board of the Ovie Brume Foundation speaks on the growing spate of child obesity in Nigeria and its health and psychological implications; even as she urges early preventive measures.

    While it might be said that Obesity in children in Nigeria has not reached an alarming stage, it nevertheless calls for concern seeing that cases liter our exclusive private schools; can you give us a current statistics?

    I cannot give you any statistics at this point in time, but to say that it is not yet at an alarming rate is something I won’t agree with. It’s quite alarming at this point in time, and the problem of obesity actually takes roots from the way you feed your infant, when the child is born right through the type of diet that the child is weaned on. I mean you can talk about private schools, where it seems to be obvious, but I really think the situation in which we’ve found ourselves needs urgent attention.

    There are controversies on whether obesity is a disease in itself or a condition; could you please explain obesity in simple terms?

    Obesity is a situation that predisposes somebody to certain other conditions, to certain diseases. For example, if you’re obese, you’re susceptible to high blood pressure, hypertension, cardiac diseases, and diabetes mellitus, particularly in adults. So it’s more like a dangerous condition that predisposes you to other diseases.

    Some people take pride in having their children looking chubby, especially at the early stage. What have you got to say to this?

    It’s good for a child to look healthy, but he doesn’t have to look overweight. When you have your infant, you should take him through a process called Growth Monitoring at a health centre, where they will measure his weight and height and let you know if he is thriving. If the child is overweight or prone to obesity, they would tell you.

    Is there a specific measurement of weight for height for children or even adult?

    Yes we do. For adult, you take your BMI and for a child, there is a standardised Growth Monitoring Chart, which is approved by the Federal Ministry of Health and which is actually used in all government health facilities, and approved private health facilities. The chart gives a range of what height is supposed to be for a particular weight. There is a range that tells you a child is healthy, malnourished, underweight and even overweight.

    What’s the difference between being overweight and being obese?

    When you’re overweight, your Basic Metabolic Index is probably over 25. The Basic Metabolic Index has a formula that you use to calculate it. Many people have questioned the authenticity of the BMI because if you’re familiar with the Nigerian population, you find out that almost everybody is overweight. And when you get to a certain range, you say somebody is obese; and when you get to another range, you say somebody is morbidly obese. The Basic Metabolic Index, which is a relationship between your height and your weight, actually tells if a person falls within any of these ranges. It is important to note here that there are certain tests that are also performed on individuals, because a person may be overweight and his biochemical parameters remain okay. Also, a person may be within the normal weight range, while already showing high cholesterol level. You might also be within the normal weight and already have high blood pressure. It’s just that when you’re obese, it predisposes you to some of these conditions. So once a person is above 40, 45; there is need to continuously check a lot of biochemical parameters in your blood, to see how you’re fairing health-wise.

    Obesity also seems to be more common amongst children of the upper-class and middle-class? Why is this?

    It’s actually related to diet. If you look at Lagos for example, you’d find that a lot of the upper-class parents are very busy. They don’t pay extra attention to diet and you find that their kids in the morning take cereal, sausage and chips, which is very high in calories diet. In the afternoon, they go for rice and maybe a quarter of a chicken, which is way too much. And in the evening, they go for maybe white bread, egg and sausage again. So the diet that a lot of kids in the upper-class take might actually contain a lot of fat, a lot of sugar and very high carbohydrate diet. Sometimes, it is also very high in protein, way beyond what you need. And when you take too much carbohydrate and protein, it is converted and stored under your skin. So your diet provides enough for you to meet your energy needs, it is excellent. Rather than consuming way more than you need and having it works against you.

    Do you then subscribe to the opinion that obesity is more common amongst the rich and upper-class?

    Being overweight has nothing to do with your economic class. It has to do with your diet. If you don’t eat right, you have a tendency to have malnutrition, irrespective of your economic class. Malnutrition can be over-nutrition or under-nutrition. Over-nutrition is a category in which we have the manifestation of obesity, which means you’re over-eating. And whether you’re living in Ajegunle or Mushin, if you fall in this category, you have the tendency to become obese. In children, it might not be very obvious, but in adult, it is quite evident. If you look at the Nigerian population; you’d find that people are overweight, irrespective of their economic class. I’m not saying that people are also not undernourished, but when you look at the trend in the last ten years and also project into the next ten to twenty years; you’d find that Nigeria could actually have a population in which a lot of people will actually be overweight, because they’re not just eating right.

    The general opinion is that obesity is preventable. How so?

    You can actually start preventing obesity right from infancy by breastfeeding your child exclusively for six months; all breast, no water. At least ensure that you do this for the first three months of your maternity leave. Even when you have to go to work, you can still manage by breast feeding them when you are at home; and by extracting and storing when you know you would be at work. Also, you can use weaning milk, peradventure you cannot give your child exclusive breast feeding, and stick to the instruction on the can. Do not give four level spoons, when the instruction says three, just because you can afford it. In any case, no health worker will encourage a mother to raise her child on infant milk, except in health cases such as when the mother is HIV positive etc.

    How do you reverse obesity in a child?

    To reverse obesity, you need to place the child on a diet, because the truth is your weight is almost 70 per cent of what you put in your mouth and 30 per cent of your physical activities. But you shouldn’t cut back too much on the protein because the child needs protein, but you’re reducing the fat. You shouldn’t cut back too much on the milk because the child needs calcium; you should not cut back on things like legumes, beans and all that, because the child is still growing. And then you want to increase the child’s physical activities. If you can afford it, swimming is actually a very good sport that engages the whole parts of the body and even strengthens the back. You might want to enroll the child in aerobics, dance class and generally increase his/her physical activities. So the child is exercising and also enjoying himself. Even simple exercises like brisk walking will go a long way. So you can use increased physical activities and diet modification to help a child lose weight. Another thing: if your child is used to ice cream, chicken and the likes, you don’t cut it out totally; simply reduce the portion size, otherwise when you turn your back, he goes back and binge on it. For a more effective approach, parents who can afford it should also see a dietician or nutritionist. Virtually all teaching hospitals has departments designated for them. The sooner the issue of a child showing signs of obesity is addressed, the better.

    Aside the health implications, there are psychological issues, which seems to even assail obese children much earlier. Do you have experiences to share in this regard?

    Of course it affects them psychologically and leads to issues of self-esteem because in a case where they are just one or two looking like that in a class, the tendency is for their mates to call them names such as orobo, facto and all of that. And it cuts through even the public schools, because we do a lot of work with public schools. It might even affect their studies in the long run, because they become too self-conscious. And then during sports there is the issue of performance, in which you might not be able to run as fast as your colleagues or compete generally in physical exercise. This does not necessarily apply academically though. Talking about the female gender, the image that is posted out there  whether on the internet or on the television; is the idea that an attractive lady is one who is slim and shapely. And if you’re obese, you don’t tend to fit into this image and it affects the way you look at yourself. And so parents really need to pay a lot of attention to this, so that when their children are obese, they help them get through the difficult period of self worth. The fact that you have only one body and cannot get a spare one in the markets, means that you need to strive to keep it as healthy as possible. Obesity is a condition that you don’t even want to find yourself. You should also cultivate the habit of taking fruits and vegetables. It is bad enough that children don’t like vegetables and fruits; but to now let them perpetrate a diet that is devoid of them means that you’re setting them up for something that will not benefit them in the future. Besides, if you don’t bring them up to take fruits and vegetable, how do they in turn transfer this healthy health habit to their children? Exercise is also key. A lot of parents lay too much emphasis on academic success, such that the child hardly pays any attention to physical exercise of any sort. And that is extremely harmful to a child because a child has a lot of energy. They need to learn how to multi-task and manage their time effectively. An active sports life will also help them avoid sedentary life and help then burn up extra calories and energy even when they over-eat. It is important for a child to start laying the foundation for healthy muscles rather than fatty tissues.

  • ‘Parking tankers on airport roads dangerous’

    Stakeholders in the aviation sector have expressed worry over the flouting of parking orders issued to tanker drivers who operate on the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road in Lagos.

    They are alarmed that despite warnings, fuel tanker drivers still park on the road, thereby constituting security risks.

    They said the relevant agencies should impress it on the tanker drivers to relocate to the place they have been assigned rather constituting nuisance.

    The Secretary-General, Nigerian Aviation Professionals Association ( NAPA), Comrade Abdulrasak Siedu, said allowing impunity to continue is not good for the sector, because it dangerous.

    But the General Secretary, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers ( NUPENG), Comrade Isaac Aberare, denied the allegation.

    He said the union has an understanding with the airport authorities on how to carry out their operations.

    According to him, the drivers have since restricted themselves to the designated point created for them.

    Three weeks ago,  the Federal Government and the Lagos State Transportation Management Authority (LASTMA) asked tanker and truck drivers to vacate the major highways in the state, including the airport road.

    Meanwhile, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Babatunde Edu, threatened to impound any truck parked on the Airport Road.

    He said drivers who refused to remove the trucks would be dealth with.

    Edu said: “We are going to go tough with the tanker drivers if they do not comply. Their trucks are constituting grave danger on the road.’’

    There are no fewer than 20  tankers belonging to oil firms parked on  the airport, leading to the Ajao Estate Road.

    To arrest the situation, LASTMA said it would impound the trucks if the drivers fail to remove their trucks.

    The step,  Edu said, would bring sanity to the road and improve securityin the area.

  • Dangerous times are here

    We commiserate with friends and families of victims of Monday, April 15, 2014 bombings at Nyanya near the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. We pray for the full and speedy recovery of the injured and the sick still in various hospitals and health care centres in and around the Federal Capital City of Abuja and others convalescing at home. The Progressives Solidarity Forum (PSF) is concerned that the approach of the Federal Government to resolving the Boko Haram crisis does not seem to be effective in resolving the issues surrounding the crisis as the lives lost are now running into thousands. We are worried that this crisis remains protracted even after nearly one-year of emergency rule. The crisis continues to escalate even outside the states that emergency rule has been declared. The PSF feels the Presidency and the leadership of the government of the emergency rule states need to work together in a concerted effort to nip in the bud this festering Boko Haram crisis that has now escalated to the Federal Capital Territory. This is not time to play politics. And we would call on the President to show more purposeful leadership and call his spokespersons, the PDP and Olisa Metuh to order. The recent war of words and mudslinging between the spokespersons of the PDP and members of the main opposition party, the APC, over the Nyanya bombings and the activities of Boko Haram, especially since May, 2013 when the emergency rule in the three states were declared as totally unnecessary at a time when the leadership and compassion were needed, particularly from the presidency. Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyako, raised some questions about the sincerity of the president and the ineffectiveness of the methods being used by the presidency to control and combat the menace of the terrorist group. The President must answer these pertinent questions. What is the point in committing so much cash, hardware and military personnel to a project and then declaring an emergency over an area for nearly one year and yet instead of the problem abating, it escalating and increasing in dimension and sophistication. Nigerians would want to know why and how it was so easy for the so-called Boko Haram sect to visit college school girls’ hostel and pick over 200 young innocent girls and drove in convoys of cars and vans across Borno roads that were supposed to be manned by military and police personnel with various checkpoints, unmolested, undetected and without any trace. There are many questions Nigerians would want President Goodluck Jonathan to answer aside the insecurity that pervades the country. In particular we demand to know about the following: Where is $20 billion? I hope you do understand how far that sum of money could go in addressing the crucial infrastructure deficit plaguing the country; Why was Sanusi Lamido Sanusi suspended, instead of offering him protection for disclosure of criminality and fraud in NNPC and their related agents? Why are the people suspected to have stolen N2 trillion fuel subsidy funds have not been brought to book? What about those who were involved in the pension fund fraud? And why is it that the Governor of the Central Bank, Sanusi Lamido was “suspended” to engender “proper investigations” of allegations against his running of the Central Bank of Nigeria? What have you done about the allegation that a minister wasted a whopping N10 billion on private jet charter for her work as well as family and friends? Nigerians demand answers to all the questions. We also call on the Federal Government and President Jonathan to show good leadership, using all the resources at his disposal as Commander- In- Chief of the Armed Forces and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to fulfil the basic responsibility of a government, as enshrined in our constitution, by protecting its citizens and their properties and if a government can’t provide this basic responsibility, then it has no business remaining in government. • Emokpaire is the Grand Patron, Progressives Solidarity Forum and the Secretary, All Progressives Congress, UK.