Nutrition: An essential tool for promoting literacy in a world in transition

By ANDYNO, PRAISE, MOSAODOLUWA, and UCHENNA

Ready or not, the world is changing faster than ever before. The focus is no longer on our preparedness for the change, it is now on our ability to cope with the realities the changes bring. How can we ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive in a world in transition? The answer may lie in a simple but powerful duo: Nutrition and Literacy.

In a world facing unprecedented challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, conflict, and climate change, the theme of this year’s International Literacy Day, “Promoting literacy for a world in transition: building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies,” becomes critical. If wielded effectively, literacy can be used to sustainably adapt, cope, and thrive in the face of these challenges. However, while the world strives to achieve this, harnessing the potential of nutrition as both a critical input for and output of building the foundation for a sustainable and peaceful society with literacy is grossly underemphasized. Although the impact of nutrition is directly captured in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 3, nutrition has the potential to significantly contribute to achieving other SDGs including SDG 4 (Quality Education).

THE IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION IN PROMOTING LITERACY

Globally, we have increasingly transitioned from considering literacy as just the mere writing and reading of words to a more complex process of understanding the ever-evolving environment in order to improve life and well-being. It is almost impossible to effectively navigate this transition without nutrition. Improved brain development and Intelligence Quotients are required for the use of literacy as a foundation for sustainable societies, however, malnutrition can impair brain development, cognitive function, and educational attainment of individuals. UNICEF reports that Nigeria has the second highest burden of malnutrition globally with the northern states being the most affected. According to UNESCO, Nigeria has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world, with 65 million adults and 10 million children out of school. From the 2018 survey of the literacy rates in Nigeria, Statista reveals highest literacy rates in the Southern regions of the country. Based on this data, the northern regions have lower literacy rates, with the North East having the lowest for both males and females. Interestingly, this suggests that there is a co-existence of high burden of malnutrition and high illiteracy in the northern regions, and as such, particular attention must be paid.

Malnutrition can contribute to gross illiteracy rates via the mechanism of poor school and economic performance. When brain development and cognitive functions of a child are impaired due to nutrient deficiencies (like iodine deficiency), school performance is affected because of the reduced mental capacity of the child. If nutrient intake remains inadequate while at school, the energy level of the child is reduced and his attention in class is further affected. This leads to poor educational attainment. With poor educational attainment, the child enters into the transitioning world less qualified and unable to contribute substantially to the collective effort of building a sustainable and peaceful society. Imagine if the affected individual seeks to be a teacher. His desires and goals to creatively impart skills and knowledge to another may be below par. This is primarily because only adequate nutrition provides essential fatty acids and vitamins that can improve brain function, memory, and cognitive development critical for promoting literacy. Also, with adequate nutrition, energy levels and attention span can improve, leading to better school performance and educational attainment. It is also worthy to note that adequate nutrition can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases (like obesity and diabetes) that can impair physical and cognitive functions that may hinder literacy. Ultimately, inadequate nutrition leads to adults living with reduced energy and intelligence who cannot substantially contribute to the needs of the world in transition and who lack the skills required for competitiveness in the league of nations. This may include a lack of the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, develop creatively, and work collaboratively amidst the transition. Even worse, the implications are upscaled from the individual and community levels to the national level. Essentially, this means that literacy is enhanced when nutrition is taken care of and outlines the role of nutrition as an input for promoting literacy.

THE ROLE OF LITERACY IN IMPROVING NUTRITION

It is worth noting that while nutrition promotes literacy, it is positively addressed when literacy is enhanced. Obviously, literacy enables individuals to access and understand nutrition information. However, the connection between literacy and nutrition goes beyond being able to read and understand food labels. Literacy platforms play a substantial role in driving nutrition-sensitive programs. Programs such as deworming activities, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and school feeding programs that have been incorporated into education platforms indirectly address nutrition-related problems and ultimately improve nutrition. For example, the school feeding program directly influences energy and nutrient intake, which improves the nutritional status of children in school, increases attention span, and ultimately, learning outcomes. If this is implemented early and sustained, adults are able to maximize learning opportunities, and contribute substantially to the needs of the world in transition and build peaceful and sustainable societies.

As we celebrate this year’s International Literacy Day, we applaud the impressive initiatives that seek to improve nutrition and literacy in Nigeria. A typical example is the support by UNICEF to the government to implement the National Plan of Action on Food and Nutrition. This is done by strengthening health and community systems and fully integrating nutrition into all aspects of the primary health care system. Additionally, UNICEF also supports nutrition education activities in schools and communities to teach children and adolescents about food and nutrition concepts, skills, or values. Another example is the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP), which provides nutritious meals to school children as well as promotes local food production and income generation for smallholder farmers. The objectives of HGSFP directly aim to improve school enrolment, retention, and completion rates among children, especially girls.

RECOMMENDATIONS

While we applaud these initiatives, we recognize that there is still work to be done and collaborations and commitment from all stakeholders like governments, civil society, private sector, media, and the academics should be ensured. Although a great starting point is the provision and upscaling of the information that nutrition is central to achieving global targets even in a world in transition, intense efforts must be made to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice.

Practical recommendations may include the following:

NUTRITION EDUCATION: A malnourished child cannot learn optimally therefore investment to promote better nutrition outcomes is necessary to promote literacy for a world in transition. Healthy eating behaviours that improve nutrition status can be instilled and reinforced from an early age. Activities like revised curriculums and school and home gardens should be incorporated into schools and communities to empower children and adults with basic food and nutrition information, skills, and values. This will ensure they make informed choices that can improve nutrition, literacy and ultimately increase the capacity to create peaceful and sustainable communities.

NUTRITION-SENSITIVE PROGRAMS: Collaborations between the government, private sector, media, and academics should be harnessed to invest in more initiatives that can improve nutrition and literacy for a world in transition. Programs such as school feeding programs, school gardening, deworming activities, and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives can indirectly address nutrition-related problems and ultimately improve nutrition.

LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION: Initiatives that already exist such as the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) should be supported and expanded. This can promote local food production and income generation for smallholder farmers. Although this can have a direct impact on the accessibility of nutritious foods, it can also support sustainable food systems for the world in transition.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION: “If you do not measure results, you cannot tell success from failure.” Progress towards achieving national goals should be monitored to ensure that indeed efforts and inputs are having desired impact. This may typically include the base-line and end-line data tracking of indicators such as percentages of school enrolment, retention, and completion rates, as well as literacy rates by region and gender.

The international Literacy Day is an excellent reminder that only one who is informed can make informed decisions. It is not the duty of one, but all to promote and invest in improving nutrition as it ultimately improves literacy for a world in transition and builds the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies, regardless of how small the scale may be.

Happy International Literacy Day!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

AKPANUKOH, Andyno

DANIEL-OKE, Praise

JAMES, Uchenna

OMOLADE, Mosadoluwa

The authors are passionate nutrition and health professionals studying to obtain a master’s degree in the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Armed with their vast academic knowledge and diverse professional experiences, they seek to contribute to addressing burning nutrition issues on even the smallest scales possible.