By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) and German NGO – Food justice have trained journalists on effective reporting of Planetary Health Diet.
The event which took place on Thursday in Lagos, was meant to educate Nigerian journalists and civil society actors on the concept of planetary health diet and deepen their understanding of the health challenges associated with consumption of processed and meat-based diets.
In his welcome address, RDI Executive Director, Philip Jakpor said his organisation and Foodjustice conceived the training because of the strategic role of the media which is not limited only to watchdog function, but also a platform for enlightening and galvanizing the public and policy makers to action.
Jakpor explained that Africa is blessed with vast arable land yet as the discourse and clamour for adoption of planetary health dietary pattern continues to grow globally, the continent is largely missing in the scheme of things.
He added that the continent grapples with the devastating impacts of malnutrition and the health consequences associated with consumption of junk foods and unwholesome diet which has made NCDs a significant cause of deaths in Africa.
He stressed that in Nigeria NCDs account for about 30% of annual deaths, even as he revealed that in the year 2020, NCDs were responsible for 617,300 deaths in Nigeria, with 22% of them attributable to premature deaths of persons between ages 30-70.
In similar pattern, in 2021 NCDs accounted for 29-30% of deaths, with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) being a significant component, resulting to 190,897 deaths. The statistics showed 565 per 100,000 males and 546 per 100,000 females for CVD, cancer, diabetes, and respiratory diseases combined. Sadly, most of the deaths were in young people.
Also speaking, Dr. Andrea Arango Angarita of Mexican National Institute of Public Health, while analysing “Environmental Impact and Cost of Healthy and Sustainable Diets in Mexico”, said seven healthy and sustainable diet scenarios were analysed for the environmental impact, cost, and nutritional adequacy, compared to the current Mexican diet.
The results showed reduced land use impact, carbon emission, and biodiversity loss. Also, they cost less by 24.7% in vegan diets. However, although most scenarios met nutritional adequacies, Vitamin B12 was deficient in vegan and vegetarian diets, while Vitamin D was deficient across all scenarios.
In his presentation, Dr. Percival Agordoh, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana, introduced journalists to EAT-Lancet 2 in “An Introduction to the EAT-Lancet Commission 2.0”.
Agordoh explained that the EAT-Lancet Commission 2.0 builds upon the original report that introduced PHD, addressing the interconnected challenges of human health and planetary sustainability.
“This new report was prompted by significant global disruptions post-2019, including volatile food supplies, economic shifts, and increased inequities, which highlighted the unmet need for a ‘Great Food Transformation’.
“The core aim of EAT-Lancet 2.0 is to secure a just transition to healthy, environmentally sustainable, and equitable food systems for all.
“Key innovations include an evolution of the Planetary Health Diet into four distinct and adaptable dietary patterns (flexitarian, pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan), which cater to diverse demographics and preferences while maintaining nutritional adequacy and sustainability.
“A significant new aspect is the explicit integration of social justice and equity, focusing on fair access, distribution, and outcomes within the food system,” she explained.
Others resource person were Dr. Makoyawo Olayinka, “Planetary Health Diet and Children”; environmental health scientist and planetary health educator, Dr Chioma Joy Okonkwo, “Mainstreaming Planetary Health Diet into Public Health Policies in Lagos”; “Sustainable, just and healthy school feeding”, Ottavia Pieretto of Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, MUFPP, Secretariat, Food Policy Department, Milan, Italy, who gave an existential example a deliberate government policy of feeding school children free and healthy meals
Tope Oluwaleye, veteran journalist and media strategist, spoke on “Writing Impactful News Stories on Planetary Health Diet: Key Considerations”.
