Africans are not eating enough fruit and vegetables, a critical problem on a continent where obesity, diabetes and heart disease are becoming as concerning as under-nutrition, scientists said Monday.
In the majority of African countries, half the population could be classified as overweight, Jacky Ganry from French agricultural research centre CIRAD told a conference in Dakar.
“In Africa we are in a critical situation, the average per capita availability (of fruit and vegetables) is far below the recommended level,” he said. The World Health Organisation puts the level at 400 grammes a day.
Massive urbanisation, lifestyle changes and dietary habits — particularly in urban areas — along with physical inactivity and inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables are leading to growing numbers of non-communicable diseases, he said.
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