By Toyin Victor, ABUJA
Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, has kicked against proposals to make bouillon fortification mandatory, warning that the policy could undermine efforts to reduce diet-related diseases in Nigeria.
In a statement marking World Heart Day, signed by Robert Egbe, Media and Communications Officer, CAPPA, the organisation said policies that could encourage greater consumption of ultra-processed foods may worsen Nigeria’s unhealthy food environment.
CAPPA said excessive intake of sodium, added sugars, saturated fats and other unhealthy ingredients remains a major public-health concern, linking such diets to hypertension, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease and cardiovascular conditions.
The organisation noted that excessive sodium consumption is particularly concerning because it contributes to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It said the World Health Organisation recommends that adults consume less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium daily.
CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said protecting heart health must include improving the food environment, stressing that Nigerians should be able to flavour their food without compromising their health.
Oluwafemi argued that adding vitamins and minerals to an ultra-processed product does not make it healthy or remove concerns over excessive sodium, sugar or unhealthy fats that may already be present.
CAPPA also rejected the argument that the widespread consumption of bouillon cubes makes them an appropriate vehicle for mandatory fortification, saying their popularity should instead prompt closer scrutiny of their nutritional composition and potential health effects.
The organisation called for stronger implementation of Nigeria’s sodium reduction measures, mandatory and easily understood front of pack warning labels, tighter regulation of unhealthy food marketing and improved access to affordable, nutritious foods.
CAPPA urged the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to base nutrition and food policies on independent public health evidence, saying efforts to address micronutrient deficiencies should expand access to nutritious diets rather than make ultra-processed foods appear healthier.