GAMBIANS LIVING ABROAD AND JUNK FOOD

The Gambia has a sizeable chunk of its population living outside the borders of the tiny nation. The United States, United Kingdom and Germany have some of the highest numbers Gambian immigrants.
In these settings, it is very easy for young Gambians to neglect their nutrition and rely heavily on junk food. Various reasons are given for this trend and these include the following:

This trend is rather unfortunate because research has indicated that chronic diseases like Diabetes and Hypertension do not just appear out of nowhere when one reaches the age of forty or so. These conditions occur partly as a result of changes that start to take place as early as in the second decade of life in some cases.

The eating habits of a young individual have far reaching consequences. Cutting down on the burgers, fries and fizzy drinks will greatly enhance the chances of avoiding cardiovascular diseases later on. Junk food contains high amounts of saturated fat, these can raise blood cholesterol levels and eventually lead to the formation of plaques within blood vessels and compromise blood supply to vital organs such as the heart (leading to a heart attack), the brain (leading to a stroke), and the kidneys (leading to chronic kidney disease).

An ideal meal should be low saturated fat, low in refined carbohydrates and sugars, and high in fibre. Carbohydrates should be used only as a source of energy and not just for the sake of filling one’s tummy. For example, if you feel like “being full”, eat bananas instead of a plate full of French fries! The French fries contain a lot of carbohydrates, and there is the added effect of frying (fats and oils). The banana on the other hand contains very little fat but is a good source of both energy and dietary fibre.

To our brothers and sisters living abroad and back home that depend on take-outs for most of their nutritional needs, we are passionately pleading with you to take a little time off each day to plan a healthy meal. This should be considered as an investment which is equally as important as money in the bank.