One in every 2 women of reproductive age suffer anaemia in Nigeria - NSN

Nigeria faces one of the largest burdens of micro-nutrient deficiencies, with anaemia the most common with a big impact on health of women and children, the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, NSN, have disclosed.

Specifically, 49 per cent of women of reproductive age have anaemia, 24.3 per cent have low iron stores and 12.7 per cent of them are iron deficient.

These figures indicate that majority of the adolescent girls and women did not meet the iron requirements of 20 milligrams per day as recommended by the Food and Agricultural Organisation and, the World Health Organisation.

 Iron deficiency anaemia is a condition in which the red blood cells or their oxygen-carrying capacity is insufficient to meet physiological needs of the body. The symptoms of anaemic condition includes, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, drowsiness, shortages of breath and all these militate against active living and human productivity as iron is critical to learning process and energy for day to day activities.

This has raised serious concerns among relevant stakeholders led by the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, NSN, who said that iron is one of the most prevalent micronutrient deficiencies globally, with almost one of every two women of reproductive age being anemic in Nigeria. 

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos organised by Unilever Nigeria in partnership with the NSN onthe impact of Iron deficiency anaemia in Nigeria, Professor NgoziNnam, President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria said that the causes of anaemia vary but that approximately fifty percent of the cases are due to iron deficiency. 

Speaking on a survey findings commissioned by Unilever Nigeria focusing on iron deficiencyanaemia among women in Nigeria, Doctor Folake Samuel, said that the preliminary research findings show that although many Nigerian women are aware that we haverich iron sources of food in our environment and its benefits as well as the consequences of iron deficiencies, and a lot of them consume iron rich food, but however the consumption of iron rich food is still low and this calls for action and intervention.

As such, a significant proportion of the women frequently experience various symptoms of iron deficiency, Doctor Folake says quoting the report.

The survey sampled 615 women aged 20- 45 years in Lagos to access their level of awareness on iron deficiencies, iron rich food and consequences of iron deficiencies.  

“Looking at the awareness level of symptoms of iron deficiency, 55 per cent of the women rated tiredness and fatigue as part of daily life and know that when you suddenly become dizzy out of the blues, it is the consequences of not eating enough iron rich food; pale complexion, being another symptom of anaemia is also common in our society. Some people mistaken a woman being pale as a sign of pregnancy, not knowing that it is an indicator of beinganaemic,” she said.

Professor NgoziNnam added that adolescent girls and pregnant women are the populations requiring the highest amount of iron intake and are, therefore, most susceptible to iron deficiency adding that the typical Nigerian diet is low in iron-rich foods, while cassava and cereals (high in phytates which decreases iron absorption) are commonly eaten staples.

“Pregnant women, teenage girls and women of reproductive age are among the most vulnerable to iron deficiency anaemia because of high iron requirements. Increasing iron intake during adolescence to prepare for pregnancy is crucial to decreasing the risk of iron deficiency anaemia and negative birth outcomes.

“The commonly consumed traditional dishes may not provide sufficient iron to meet the requirements and it may be a challenge to manipulate these recipes as they are passed down from generation to generation.  In Nigeria, mothers are the kitchen ‘gatekeepers’ and their adolescent daughters learn cooking behaviors from them,” she said.

MyriamSidibe, Hygiene and Nutrition Social Mission Director, Africa,Unileversaid the aim of the programme was to provide more sensitisation to the general public on the importance of iron nutrients to the health of individuals.

She said that women and children were the group of people more vulnerable to anaemia.

''These issues are common among our women and teenage girls and these people are the bedrock and foundation of the home and family which is the unit of the Nation.

''These are the critical people in the society and their health is important to nation building; we need to take care of these people," she said.

Dr Sid shares a photo of his glowing pregnant wife

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David Cameron wins election, gets to stay another 5 years

David Cameron is on course for an extraordinary victory as 'shy Tories' came out at the last moment to keep him in Downing Street. He said it was 'too early to say' what the final result of the General Election would be, but added that there was 'the chance now to build on the foundation' laid in the last parliament. 

But the Tory leader will have to deal with SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon who is cleaning up north of the border, leaving Scotland as a near one-party state.

In a signal that he now accepts he will not be PM, Mr Miliband said the next government 'has a huge responsibility' to hold the UK together.

The SNP tide has swept aside Labour and Lib Dem big beasts including Jim Murphy and Douglas Alexander in a tide of nationalism which has already sparked calls for a second independence referendum.

There are doubts that Mr Miliband will survive as leader until Friday lunchtime, as he faces being left with 17 fewer seats than Gordon Brown, slumping to 239.

Some 50million people were eligible to vote in the most closely fought campaign in a generation. Opinion polls in recent weeks had Labour and the Tories neck and neck, suggesting Britain faced political deadlock.

But an exit poll released at 10pm on Thursday suggested voters switched to the Conservatives at the last moment, giving Mr Cameron an unexpected but welcome boost.

 

Congratulations!

 

Daily Mail.

Christina Milian finally confirms long-rumoured relationship with rapper Lil Wayne

Christina Milian has finally confirmed her long-rumoured relationship with rapper Lil Wayne, who also represents her on his label Young Money Entertainment.

'He's very special to me, yeah,' the 33-year-old Christina told ETonline on Monday.

Both of them were seen at the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao boxing match in Las Vegas last Saturday.

'I’m just living freely with him and we’re both very happy'

'It's safe to say it is about the man in my life, yes,' she confirmed of the auto-tuned, R&B slow jam.

'For me, I'm so inspired by the relationship that I'm in that it's definitely an experience. It's that careless, hopeless, romantic love - that feeling of "I will do anything for you" and it's just incredible and so yeah, "rebel for you" means "I'm all about you." We love that!'

The single mother-of-one gushed: 'There's nothing better than that feeling of new chemistry when you're so into someone and you could care less about what anyone else thinks... and there's butterflies! It's a real feeling that people experience.'

 

When asked about marriage to Lil Wayne she said ''You never know, I mean, love does inspire beautiful things like that,' Milian smiled.

'I don’t put too much pressure on one thing'.

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Twin sisters busted for stealing from stores using near-identical looks

Twin British sisters who repeatedly stole from stores by confusing security guards with their almost identical looks have been jailed.
Penelope and Constance Harris will spend the next 14 and 18 weeks behind bars after being busted for their scam, reports the Western Daily Press.

A court heard how the 25-year-olds would dress in exactly the same clothes.
They would then go into a store and fill up two trolleys full of food and booze. One would take theirs to the checkout and pay, while the other would walk out.

As they looked so similar, guards would think that just one of them had been inside the store and had paid for all the items.

The court heard they were "distracting" staff in stores with their near-identical looks as they pulled off their scam.

But they'd in fact made off with a trolley full of goods.

They stole more than $1,500 worth of products from Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Co-op grocery stores across Cornwall, in southern England.

The siblings were finally busted after being overheard discussing the tactic before one of their heists.

Sofia Vergara's frozen embryo battle gets nasty

Sofia looked stunning as she unveiled her star on the Walk of Fame Thursday afternoon in Hollywood while ex-fiance Nick Loeb was simultaneously on the streets of New York, filming yet another television interview about their battle over frozen embryos - this time with CNN's Alisyn Camerota.
She had her new fiance, Joe Manganiello ,her parents Margarita and Julio, as well as her 22-year-old son Manolo, were in the audience too.

Sofia with new fiancé Joe Manganiello

 Also at the morning event were three of her Modern Family co-stars including Julie Bowen, Eric Stonestreet and Ed O'Neill and assorted family members with her for support.

Thursday morning she gave what she says will be her last interview about her battle with Loeb over their embryos.

While her pre-taped interview aired on Good Morning America, Loeb was live on Today explaining why he wants their two female embryos to raise on his own as a single father. He later gave an interview to CNN, he told Alisyn Camerota that if he started a relationship now, his new girlfriend would have to accept he had two other children, his embryos.

The pretty star and her ex Loeb are locked in a legal dispute over frozen embryos they created together under a signed agreement stipulating that both parties must consent to any action taken utilizing them to produce children.

The embryos were created six months before they broke up - around this time last year - and Nick wants to the right to use them by himself.

Sofia had her chance to speak out about the situation on Good Morning America which aired on Thursday - moments after Nick gave his side of the story in a talk with the Today Show. 

The banking heir insisted his intentions had nothing to do with the actress - and dismissed suggestions he was taking her to court because he could not get over her.

'It has nothing to do with a baby or her baby,' he said. 'Lives were created.

'I don't hate her at all,' he said. 'I have tremendous respect for Sofia.'

Sofia and Nick split up a year ago after dating for approximately four years and engaged for two.

The actress hit back at her former flame's legal action and said on Good Morning America: 'I've been working very hard for 20 years to get to this point where I am, enjoying my movie,' she said.

'I promote all my movies, all my work, but I don't like promoting my private life and I don't understand why this person... I don't want to allow this person to take more advantage of my career and try to promote himself and get press for this.' 

 

She also dismissed his likelihood of being able to take the female embryos, which he wants to take to full term by using a surrogate, and bring up the children.

'There's papers signed. There is a court date,' she said. 'He shouldn't be creating something so ugly out of nothing.'

He told the Today show that he has told Vergara that she can waive all financial responsibility and he will bring up the children alone.

 

'I can give these children a wonderful life,' he said. 'These girls will be raised knowing that they have a father who fought for them.'

 

But he also said that he would be happy for Vergara and her fiance Manganiello to take the embryos and bring them to full term, 'as long as I was involved in the process'.

Hian! Is it by force??

Former Fiancé- Nick and Sofia back in the day.

The case will be in court on May 22.