The Covid-19 has drawn a new debate on the issue of food security and nutrition. The literature suggests a positive relationship between food security and nutrition. For low-income countries, access to nutritious food has been challenging. Literature reveals that Nepal faces poor food security and nutrition for decades and this issue has been more surfaced after the Covid-19. This paper explores the prospect of food security along with nutrition based on secondary data and reviews. Food security has been associated with the production, stock, access, and utilization. The utilization normally refers to the use of varieties of nutrition for the human body that is related to the immunity system. Agriculture is the prime occupation of the country as the two-third population depends on agriculture for livelihood. However, the subsistence form of agriculture has been dominated. Due to the lack of agricultural production, Nepal faces poor nutrition and faces mal-nutrition problems. Many of the districts in the western and far-western hilly regions of the country have been faced with food scarcity and malnutrition has become a common phenomenon. Moreover, Covid 19 has further highlighted the issue of food security and nutrition. As the Covid-19 is related to immunity power and its association is with nutritious food is crucial. The policy of the government has prioritized from grass root level to eliminate hunger and malnutrition though there are still challenges.
The general perception of nutrition is that it is just the process of taking food. However, it represents food science that ultimately relates to human health. Unhealthy and imbalanced food and the modern lifestyle are contributing to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in recent days. Hypertension, diabetes and cancer are some major NCDs across the world that have created challenges for human life. Annually, millions of people die due to the food related problems. The major objective of the study is to analyze the health status of non-communicable diseases among Nepali women. This study emphasizes the counseling and modification of diet that are crucial in controlling non-communicable illness. This study is based on the secondary data and review of literature. All these data were reviewed through journals, research articles, books, and the association’s dietary guidelines. The reports by WHO, Nepal Demographic Health Survey, American Heart Association, American Lung Association and National Institute of Diabetes are also reviewed. The experience of working in this field for a long time has also been utilized in analyzing the data. A number of NCDs is being increased globally and Nepal is no exception. The WHO report of 2018 reveals that NCDs are killing 41 million people yearly, equivalent to 71% of all death globally. Similarly, 15 million people die from it between 30 and 69 age groups, and 85% of these 'premature' deaths in low and middle-income countries. According to NDHS (2016), the prevalence of hypertension in women in Nepal is 17% of those aged 15 and above. Alter food habits, overweight and obesity as well as food practices during pregnancy, after delivery and daily intake of convenience fast food in Tiffin and snacks are some reasons to increase the NCDs. Nutrition counselling and awareness, dietary policy guidelines and an active role of diet specialist (dietician/nutritionist) will be the effective mitigation in controlling the NCDs number.
Introduction: The role of antioxidant-rich nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables in preventing non-communicable diseases is critical. It helps to neutralize oxidative and nitrosative stresses. The nitrosative stresses are harmful to health and antioxidant-enhancing control of such stresses. Objective: The study aims to explore the benefit of dietary antioxidants such as fruits and vegetables that helps to reduce oxidative and nitrosative stress levels. A high level of oxidative and nitrosative stress levels results in non-communicable disease and depression. Methods: Both primary and secondary data are used for the study. Literature related to antioxidant foods is intensively reviewed. Primary data are collected through structured questionnaires with 68 numbers of respondents in Lalitpur metropolitan city, ward 28 in order to know the usage and knowledge of antioxidant practices at the ground level. There were 68 respondents with 88% of females and 12% of males between 20 and 60 years of age. The food frequency questionnaire was used to collect data. Findings & Discussion: Nepal is rich in antioxidant foods, however, only a small population has access to it. Likewise, many people are unaware of its proper consumption or usage. The consumption of fruits in Nepal is poor; only 2.7 and 1.6 in urban and rural respectively weekly based which is poor and below than average. From the food frequency table of primary data, it is shown that the consumption of fruits once a day is only by 9 among 68 respondents which is poor and below average. The finding suggests that dietary antioxidant source fruit intake is used by small numbers and chances of non-communicable diseases may be high. Conclusions: There has been a practice of dietary antioxidants, though on a small scale and a majority of them were unconscious of the proper use of dietary antioxidants.
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