'Alleged food shortage in SHSs problematic, likely to affect students' cognitive abilities' – Dietician

Dietitian with the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr. Nana Ama Agyapong, has described reports of food shortages in some senior high schools as a “problematic” development.

In an exclusive interview with UniversNews, Dr. Nana Ama Agyapong explained that school feeding was introduced in schools to augment the nutritional needs of students hence food shortages in the schools would have a great impact on the nutritional needs of the students.

“But if we have a situation where the school is providing way below one–third [of nutritional requirement] of the recommendation then that becomes problematic. Also, we have a minimum dietary diversity score which is the least number of foods you should consume per day. So, if we have this crisis where students consume from just one particular group or just two, it means that their nutritional [needs] will be affected”.

Dr. Nana Ama Agyapong also added that the development in the schools may have far-reaching implications on the brain development of students.

She observed that “nutrition has an important role to play” in propelling academic excellence among students.

“If there is a situation where the nutrition being provided is not enough, research shows that it affects their attentiveness…they[students] become absent-minded. They are unable to grasp concepts so this (food shortages in schools) has a long-term impact” she noted.

Dr. Nana Ama Agyapong further warned of the dire implications of poor diet on the health of students stating that students could develop obesity in the future and also “bad eating habits” when they grow up to become adults.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Education Service says it has not received complaints on food shortages in various schools in the country however it will sanction an investigation into the matter.