Health expert and Enugu state Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, Monday, attributed the apparent knowledge of increase in perceived rise of kidney and cardiovascular diseases to growing public awareness, improved access to health information and increased testing.

Ugwu said more people were now becoming conscious of their health and presenting themselves for medical examinations, making previously undetected cases more visible.

The commissioner stated this during a live interactive program, “The Conversation,” aired on 100.3 Udoka FM, Enugu.

Ugwu warned that lifestyle choices, poor nutrition, obesity, physical inactivity and the indiscriminate use of medicines remained significant risk factors for kidney and cardiovascular complications, urging residents to pay greater attention to what they eat, particularly warning against excessive consumption of sugary, salty, oily, highly processed and packaged foods. 

He advocated a return to locally produced foods, saying many traditional Nigerian meals were nutritionally superior to some heavily processed alternatives.

He cited ‘Ayaraaya oka,’ a local meal made from mashed maize and common among the Nsukka natives of Enugu state, as an example of a traditional food capable of providing several essential nutrients when properly prepared.

He expressed concern that some Nigerians increasingly associate expensive and heavily processed foods with affluence and good living, adding that excessive consumption could contribute to obesity and other health complications.

Ugwu advised people, particularly those aged 40 and above, to become more conscious of their calorie intake and maintain a healthy body weight, saying that many people ate more than their bodies required.