Article By Michael
Gwarisa
While they may be convenient and easy to prepare for
your little ones, flavoured snacks, foods and beverages contain high sugar,
salt and or unhealthy fats that can increase the risk of becoming overweight or
obese, and of related chronic diseases later in life.
Data
from the 2024 Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) show that
Zimbabwe recorded obesity levels of 5.2% in Infants and Young Children (IYC)
owing to consumption of unhealthy foods.
According
to the study, unhealthy snack food and beverage consumption in Zimbabwe has
been associated with a higher risk of nutrient inadequacy, and lower
length-for-age among one-year-olds. Food preferences that begin early in life
track into later childhood and adolescence and such practices, if continued
throughout adolescence and adulthood, can increase the risk of becoming
overweight or obese, and of related chronic diseases later in life.
Speaking
in an interview with HealthTimes of Zimbabwe , Chj Chikanda, a Nutritionist with the Ministry of Health and
Child Care (MoHCC) said though it is trendy to feed children flavoured foods,
it was unhealthy.
“No, these foods are not safe. Though very
convenient and time saving, they pose significant health risks. Some of the
food colouring and flavouring have been associated with hyperactivity in
children. Some have been found to trigger allergies and worsening of asthma.
Some lead to stomach irritation and cramps,” said Chikanda.
She
added that there is increased risk of chronic diseases like hypertension,
type-2 diabetes and cancer when these flavoured foods are frequently consumed
over a long period of time.
“These
are responsible for about 74% of global deaths and disability, not to mention
increased healthcare costs and reduced quality of life. In addition, when
mostly consumed without proper meals, these foods can also result in gastric
problems including peptic ulcers (sores that develop in the lining of stomach
or upper part of small intestine). If sub-optimally treated these can result in
internal bleeding as slow blood loss resulting in anaemia, or as severe blood
loss that requires blood transfusion and hospitalization.”
In
Zimbabwe, a wide variety of artificially flavoured foods being consumed. These
include relish or gravy mixes added to sauces usually labelled beef or chicken
flavoured. Instant or two-minute noodles, flavoured snacks/chips, candy, sugar
sweetened beverages including soft drinks, flavoured milks and cordials have
become preferred quick fix solutions to hunger or cravings. Some processed
meats such as sausages and hot dogs being sold at formal and informal food
outlets with chips/French fries are not healthy.
“Let
me try to simplify as much as possible. So some of these flavours, let me give
an example of beef meat flavoured corn snacks. Whilst chewing and savoring the
yummy beefy taste, signals are sent to the stomach that one has consumed meat,
resulting in gastric acids being secreted to digest the meat. But alas!! It’s
not meat but a lightweight snack yet acid will still be released, what happens
now? The acids with nothing else to digest will pass away time by going for
your stomach linings “the collateral damage,” said Chikanda.
The
2025 Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) survey highlights the
urgency of tackling unhealthy diets among children. Although Zimbabwe has set
targets to reduce childhood overweight, the survey warns that dietary shifts toward ultra processed foods
threaten these gains. ZimLAC categorises overweight prevalence as very low when
it is below 2.5 percent, low between 2.5 and below 5 percent, medium between 5
and below 10 percent
, high
between 10 and below 15 percent, and very high at 15 percent or above. Public
health analysts say sustained consumption of high salt, high fat and low
nutrient snacks could push more communities into the higher risk categories.
“In my
experience, pre-school and younger school aged children enjoy consuming
flavoured snacks, sherbet, and candy that paint the tongue and mouth (Peer
pressure greatly involved). If you want to see what I am talking about give a 4
year old a dollar pocket money and observe what they will buy (they will most
likely consume it where their counterparts are playing.)
However,
in Zimbabwe it seems consuming flavoured foods and snacks is not only an infant
problem as other older groups also prefer the foods owing to their convenience.
School
going children (day-scholars) have these food packed in their lunch boxes by
caregivers and when they get pocket money they almost always purchase these
snacks from vendors or tuck-shops within their school vicinities. On the other
hand, boarders carry cartons of these snacks to school as tuck. University
students renting outside campus residence also largely consume these snacks to
avoid cooking, whilst their campus residing counterparts snack on the same in
between meals. Some grown-ups staying alone also consume some of these foods
for convenience purposes.
Culled from HealthTimes HealthTimes
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