Churches Want Nutrition Introduced and Tested in National Examinations
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has advocated for the incorporation of nutrition into the country’s education curriculum as a measure to combat non-communicable diseases in the nation.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 9, NCCK indicated that the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) should introduce and assess students on the subject.
“We encourage the Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development, the Kenya National Examinations Council, and all other educational standards and examining bodies to integrate nutrition into their curriculum,” it asserted.
“It would be greatly beneficial to cultivate a nutrition-competent nation, as this would significantly reduce both household and national healthcare expenditures,” it further emphasized.
According to the council, churches throughout the nation will also establish educational forums designed to raise awareness and educate congregants and the broader community about sound nutrition practices.
Moreover, NCCK has urged the government to regulate the marketing of unhealthy foods, specifically those with high levels of sugar, salt, and saturated fats, which are primarily aimed at children.
NCCK stated that advertisements featuring such specific food items using child-friendly characters should be prohibited.
Furthermore, the council emphasized that marketing for these ‘unhealthy products’ should not be broadcast during watershed hours when children are most likely to be consuming media.
“Let us collectively safeguard children from the long-term consequences of non-communicable diseases, whose principal risk factor is dietary choices,” it remarked.
In Kenya, data from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) reveals that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 31% of all fatalities and over 50% of hospital admissions.
“The delegates, who were representative of Embu, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Nyeri, Laikipia, and Nyandarua counties, noted that it costs an individual nearly KSh 150,000 annually to manage a non-communicable disease in outpatient care,” it stated.
The council has urged the Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, to contemplate designating NCDs as a national disaster and implement measures to protect Kenyans against these diseases.
In addition, NCCK has further called upon food manufacturers to implement front-of-pack warning labels on factory-processed food items, to ensure consumers are adequately informed about foods containing unhealthy components.
“In the same manner, we urge the Ministry of Health to acknowledge that with a prevalence rate of 27%, NCDs deserve urgent attention. The burden that NCDs are placing on both household and national healthcare is substantial and must be addressed,” it stated.