Unilever leads campaign against anaemia

Anaemia can also be caused by other factors such as infectious and inflammatory diseases, blood loss from parasitic infections, and other nutrient deficiencies, such as Vitamin A, folate and B12, experts in the health sector have said.Stakeholders were unanimous at the launch of the Knorr campaign  which seeks to reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency […]

Anaemia can also be caused by other factors such as infectious and inflammatory diseases, blood loss from parasitic infections, and other nutrient deficiencies, such as Vitamin A, folate and B12, experts in the health sector have said.
Stakeholders were unanimous at the launch of the Knorr campaign  which seeks to reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in Nigeria, while encouraging Nigerian teenage girls and women of reproductive age to take lots of iron rich foods.
According to statistics, in 2011, prevalence of anaemia in non-pregnant women between ages 15 and 49 was estimated to be 496 million (29%) in non-pregnant women and 32 million (38%) in pregnant women, globally.
The prevalence of anaemia is highest in Central and West Africa, at 48 percent in non-pregnant women (15-49 years) and 56 percent in pregnant women.
In Nigeria, specifically, 49 percent of women of reproductive age have anaemia, 24.3 percent have low iron stores and 12.7 percent of them are iron deficient, according to the 2003 National Survey.
A few small studies found that iron intake in adolescent girls varied from 10-32 mg/d (5;6) and in women from 11-14 mg/d (6-8). These figures indicate that majority of the adolescent girls and women did not meet the iron requirements of 20 mg/d by FAO/WHO.
In addition, a larger study (2008) in six states representing the three agro-ecological zones and rural and urban areas of Nigeria indicated that out of a total of 14 food groups, Nigerian households consume on average only five to six different food groups (lower end of average Dietary Diversity Score).
Based on the above, Knorr, a brand of Unilever seasoning, is stepping their campaign to stem the anaemia scourge.
The campaign initially launched in Lagos at the weekend centres around having the desired amount of iron in food of teenage girls and productive women.
Yaw Nsarkoh, Managing Director, Unilever Nigeria, said, “Cooking habits are deeply rooted but we know that mothers pass recipes on to their daughters, so by educating them on the need for iron-rich ingredients we can drive behaviour change in the next generation. By incorporating leafy greens and the Knorr fortified stock cubes into recipes, the programme will help mothers improve the nutritional value of everyday recipes.”
Multiple award winning superstar Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, speaking on her reasons for joining the programme, said “As a mother of teenage girls, I feel particularly touched by this issue. It’s nice to raise awareness about iron deficiency anaemia and its consequences. This is a serious issue in Nigeria for many mothers and teenage daughters, who need more iron for development.
“If we can persuade Nigerian women to make these small, yet powerful changes to their diet, there will be positive impact on the well being of not just themselves, but that of their family and ultimately Nigerian society in the long-term.”