History's Eye

Dr Bamidele Iwalokun, a Medical Researcher with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos,  called for stiffer regulation of slimming drugs to safeguard the health of consumers. Iwalokun told LUCHEE in Lagos that there was the need for evidence of safety, effectiveness and approval from drug regulatory agencies in the country before such products were sold or consumed. ''The mechanism of action of these drugs and pills should be known but people lack this awareness and that is where the concern lies. ''We are now in an era where medicine is evidence-based. So, any medicine without evidence is not worth taking. ''Therefore, the habit of taking slimming drug without evidence of safety or effectiveness is not a good practice. ''There are various mechanisms through which one can slim, one of which is these drugs which confer slimming benefits with the fact that they have high cellulose content which fills the stomach thereby...

  A nutritionist, Mrs Ada Ezeogu, on Wednesday advised nursing mothers against giving water to their babies during the first six months to prevent malnutrition and stunting. Ezeogu, who works with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Akure Office, told LUCHEE in Lagos that babies should be fed exclusively on breast milk. According to her, breast milk contains 88.1 per cent of water which an infant needed in the first six months of life. She defined exclusive breastfeeding as a situation where the baby was being fed with only breast milk for the first six months of his life without water or any form of liquid. Ezeogu said that the nutrients contained in breast milk were adequate in quantity and quality to promote optimal growth and development of infants. She highlighted the percentage composition of breast milk to include: Water- 88.1 per cent; protein– 0.9 per cent; fat – 3.8 per cent; lactose – 7.0 per cent and other nutrients- 0.2 per cent. “Breast mil...