Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed a desire to adopt healthier eating habits amid increasing concerns about the consumption of processed foods, particularly bread and other packaged products.

The residents, who spoke in Abuja on Sunday, said while processed foods remained a convenient option due to rising food prices and busy lifestyles, they were becoming more conscious of the need to make healthier dietary choices.

A mother of three in Durumi, a suburb in the FCT, Blessing Eze, said she had begun paying closer attention to the foods she bought for her family after reading reports and watching discussions on food preservatives and processed products.

“I still buy bread because it is affordable and convenient, but I now try to include fruits, vegetables and beans in our meals. We cannot rely on processed foods alone,” Mrs Eze said.

Similarly, a civil servant in Garki village, FCT, Ibrahim Musa, said the current economic situation often influenced household food choices.

“Many families buy foods that last longer because it helps reduce waste and saves money. However, people also want to know exactly what they are eating and whether it is good for their health,” Mr Musa said.

A trader at Wuse Market, Funke Adeyemi, said more customers were asking questions about ingredients and expiry dates before purchasing packaged food products.

“People now look for NAFDAC registration numbers and check the labels more often than before. Consumers are becoming more aware of what they eat,” Ms Adeyemi said.

Speaking on the development, a nutritionist and Chief Executive Officer of Green Economy Alternative Africa, Douglas Akuba, said the growing public interest in food quality presented an opportunity to improve nutrition awareness across communities.

Mr Akuba said consumers should not be alarmed by the use of approved food preservatives in registered products, noting that regulatory agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) monitor their use to ensure public safety.

According to him, the greater concern should be the increasing dependence on highly processed foods at the expense of fresh and locally available alternatives.

“Processed foods have their place because they improve convenience and reduce spoilage. However, good nutrition is about balance.

“Households should make deliberate efforts to include fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and other locally available foods in their daily meals to improve overall health,” he said.

He also encouraged consumers to develop the habit of reading food labels to understand the ingredients and nutritional value of the products they purchased.

He advised residents to patronise only registered food manufacturers and avoid products with unclear labelling or questionable packaging.

The nutritionist noted that improving nutrition literacy would help families make informed food choices, reduce misinformation and contribute to better public health outcomes.

He added that communities also had a role to play by supporting local food production and consuming more nutritious indigenous crops, saying such practices would strengthen food security while promoting healthier diets.

Some residents also called for sustained public awareness campaigns on healthy eating, particularly at the community level, to help families understand the importance of balanced diets despite the prevailing economic challenges.

They said greater collaboration among government agencies, nutrition experts and civil society organisations would help improve access to reliable nutrition information and encourage healthier eating habits across communities.

(NAN)