Unhealthy lifestyle cause of non-communicable diseases – Don
By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba
A university don, Prof. Olutayo Ajayi of the Department of Physiology, University of Benin at the weekend, said that non -communicable diseases are occasioned by the change in life-style among other factors.
Prof. Ajayi, who spoke to our correspondent in Abraka at a lecture he delivered at the Delta state University Teaching Hospital during the maiden edition of the World Biomedical Day and public lecture organized by Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, DELSUTH chapter, disclosed that non-communicable diseases are caused by a combination of factors, such as unhealthy diet leading to obesity, consumption of genetically processed foods, excess intake of alcohol, environmental pollution and lack of physical activity.
“These are the causes of non-communicable diseases which manifest later in life,” the don stated, adding that 60 per cent of deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases.
Speaking on the theme: “Non -communicable diseases, the role of biomedical laboratory scientists in detection, screening and treatment,” Prof. Ajayi added that “we can run away from all these if we can modify our lifestyle.”
Meanwhile, professor of Comparative Politics and Developmental Studies, Charles Onvughe, has urged governments at all levels to devise initiatives that will curb rural urban migration across the country, adding that one of such ways was for government to build agro based industries and companies in villages so that the youth and others can be gainfully employed.
He said that “government at all levels must devise progressive and visible means of engaging people at the rural areas as that will reduce to a large extent the movement of people from rural to urban areas.
“If you visit most villages across the country, you will observe that most villages look deserted because most youth and some middle- aged persons have moved to urban areas since there is nothing tangible to engage them.
“These people move to urban areas in search of greener pastures, resulting in the over -population in some of the major cities across the country. For instance, Lagos is over -populated because people move from our rural areas on a daily basis to Lagos, Abuja and other areas.”
