Nutrition expert advocates infant nutrition policies to drive economic transformation

By Samuel SAM

The country’s economic transformation can be significantly advanced by prioritising infant nutrition, according to Prof. Francis Kweku Amagloh-Department of Food Science and Technology, University for Development Studies (UDS).

Speaking at the 16th Inaugural Lecture of UDS, Prof. Amagloh said the nation’s long-term health and vitality hinge on the well-being of its children, underscoring the need for robust policies focused on nutrition during infancy.

The lecture, held at the Dr. Andani Andan Academic Chamber, was organised by the Department of Food Science and Technology in collaboration with UDS. It provided a platform for Prof. Amagloh to present his research on the topic ‘White to Orange: A Small Shift for a Big Impact’, which highlights critical issues surrounding infant feeding practices and explores the nutritional benefits of different varieties of sweet-potato.

Prof. Amagloh stressed that nutrition is a crucial factor influencing children’s development – particularly in the first 1,000 days, and this early development directly impacts national progress. He pointed out that commonly used cereals for infant feeding in Ghana, such as white maize, millet, sorghum and legumes like cowpea, groundnut and soybean, are inadequate.

These crops are not only low in essential nutrients, including vitamin A, but also have high levels of phytate – which limits nutrient absorption.

He lamented the widespread issues of stunting, micronutrient deficiencies and poor growth among Ghanaian children, which he attributed to poor dietary intake and low bioavailability of micronutrients and protein. He highlighted that essential nutrients like protein, iron, zinc and vitamin A are critical for brain development, and their deficiency has long-term detrimental effects.

Prof. Amagloh specifically addressed the issue of vitamin A deficiency, a persistent problem among Ghanaian children. Citing data from 1995, 2009 and 2013, he noted that children under five in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, suffer from alarmingly high rates of vitamin A deficiency. He attributed this primarily to poor dietary choices and an overreliance on white-coloured foods – particularly in the northern belt, where the vitamin A deficiency rate was 31% in 2017.

He recommended the promotion of orange-fleshed sweet-potatoes as a complementary food ingredient across all regions of Ghana. This shift from white maize to orange sweet-potatoes, he argued, could significantly impact the nation’s development by improving children’s nutritional status.

Prof. Amagloh also called on government to reduce imports of vaccine vials for the Vitamin A supplementation programme for children under five – and urged the Food and Drugs Authority to intensify its monitoring of food safety, particularly the aflatoxin content in breakfast cereals and cereal-legume blends.

Vice-Chancellor of UDS, Professor Seidu Al-Hassan, commended Prof. Amagloh and his team for their extensive research on the subject; acknowledging the importance of policy development to drive national transformation. He also encouraged lecturers and students at UDS to continue researching issues affecting communities and the nation.

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