BUJUMBURA October 19th (ABP) – The Light University of Burundi (ULBu) in collaboration with the health and nutrition research laboratory organized, last week, a public conference, under the theme: “Food and Health”.
In his presentation, Dr. Mick Nsabimana indicated that foods are ingestible substances which provide nutrients that can be assimilated by the body.
Concerning malnutrition, Dr. Nsabimana clarified that the pathological state is due to an insufficient or excess intake of nutrients. That is the case of malnutrition by deficiency, which causes stunted growth, chronic under nutrition and frequent infections, acute malnutrition or recent and serious weight loss, underweight as well as under nutrition in micronutrients and in vitamin. That is when excess malnutrition is the excessive consumption of one or more nutrients.
Dr. Nsabimana concluded that malnutrition, whether under nutrition or overweight, is a public health problem in low- and middle-income countries. She also proposed two possible solutions for excess weight, including better eating habits and regular physical activity.