Nutritionists for Nigeria don dey support the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on their call to adopt bicycle as one of the ways to dey move around the country. According to dem, dis move go help reduce the high rate of obesity wey dey Nigeria.
Dey cite say physical activities, like riding bicycle, go help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and also help burn body fat, improve blood flow and lung health. Nutrition experts talk say the physical activity wey involve in pedaling bicycle go be very beneficial for health.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) don report say obesity be abnormal or excessive fat accumulation wey pose health risk to individuals. WHO say body mass index of over 25 be considered overweight, and over 30 be obese. Dey also note say the rate of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents between ages five and 19 increase from two to nine per cent between 1990 and 2022, while dat of adults double from seven to 16 per cent.
In recent times, FRSC don suggest say Nigerians should start using bicycles as alternative means of commuting. Dis suggestion come after Federal Government mention in 2023 say dem dey consider using bicycles as alternative means of transportation. Even in 2019, FG and FRSC talk about dis transition to bicycles.
Nutritionists welcome dis talk of introducing bicycles as means of transportation, expressing hope say it go reduce obesity rates. One of dem talk say, “Obesity dey increase gradually due to what dem call nutrition transition, which be change in food patterns and habits. Change from traditional food to highly dense nutrition food now, coupled with increase in sedentary lifestyle and inactivity.”
