Micronutrient Deficiency Among Nigerian Population: The Hidden Hunger
Onyeje Blessing Tochukwu
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State
Keywords: Micronutrient, Deficiency, Hidden hunger
Abstract
Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being at all ages is essential to sustainable development. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, insecurity, climate change and resultant economic downturns have exacerbated the food crises situation and consequently led to increase in the number at risk of hidden hunger. This has become a public health concern. Micronutrient deficiency also known as hidden hunger is a spectrum of undernutrition that occurs when intake or absorption of vitamins and minerals is too low to sustain good health and development as well as normal physical and cognitive functions. It develops gradually over a long period of time. The impact of this deficiency often goes unnoticed until irreversible damages have already occurred in the body and these damages include but not limited to diseases like osteoporosis, osteomalacia, thyroid deficiency, blindness, colorectal cancer, anaemia and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, hidden hunger compromises socio-economic development, learning ability and productivity of an individual and of a people in general. Hence, there is a need to study this public health menace for better understanding in order to mitigate its effects on the health and wellbeing of the populace.