Addressing Undernourishment Among Young People – Let’s Start with Fruits

One of my favourite exercises in class is to ask my students (dietitians-in-training), how many of them have eaten fruits in the past 24-hours. The response is usually one I would rather not report here. Yet it reminds me that even among university students studying in an environment where health information is readily available, eating fruits is often not a daily habit. 

This is one reason why International Youth Day, observed annually on 12th August, is an important opportunity to reflect on the health of our young people. At Full Proof Nutrition, we celebrate the potential of young people and believe that investing in their health today is an investment in Ghana’s future.

The World Health Organization reports that many boys and girls in developing countries enter adolescence undernourished, making them more vulnerable to illness, impaired development and poor health later in life. Undernutrition is not simply about having too little food. It also includes diets that do not provide enough essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed for healthy growth and development.

One practical place to begin addressing this challenge is with something many of us overlook every day—fruits.

Why fruits deserve a place on every young person’s plate

Fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and a wide range of beneficial plant compounds that support growth, immunity and overall wellbeing. Regular fruit intake has been associated with a lower risk of many chronic diseases later in life and contributes to a healthy, balanced diet.

Unfortunately, knowing that fruit is good for us does not always translate into eating enough of it.

What does Ghana recommend?

The Ghana Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG) encourage everyone to eat at least two servings of a variety of fruits in season every day.

That recommendation may sound ambitious until you realise what a serving looks like.

One medium-sized banana is a serving.

One medium-sized orange is another.

Meeting the recommendation could simply mean enjoying a banana during your morning break and an orange later in the afternoon.

What do studies among Ghanaian students tell us?

Research among university students in Ghana suggests that eating enough fruit remains a challenge. A study involving 456 undergraduate students found that 65% consumed fewer than the recommended number of fruit servings, while only 21.9% reported eating fruit twice a day. Interestingly, most students understood that fruit was good for their health. Their biggest barriers were not lack of knowledge, but practical concerns such as the cost of fruit and the belief that fruit was not filling enough. This highlights an important lesson.

Knowing what is healthy is one thing, turning that knowledge into a daily habit is another.

Making fruit a habit rather than an occasional choice

The good news is that increasing fruit intake does not have to be expensive or complicated.

One of the easiest ways is to take advantage of fruits that are in season. Seasonal fruits are often fresher, more affordable and widely available. Buying from local produce markets rather than convenience stores can also help reduce costs while supporting local farmers.

Variety matters too. Instead of eating the same fruit every day, enjoy the different fruits available throughout the year. Each fruit provides a unique combination of nutrients that contribute to a healthy diet.

For busy university students and young professionals, convenience is equally important. Keeping fruit where you can easily see it, carrying one in your bag for lectures or work, or washing and preparing fruit ahead of time can make healthy choices much easier.

Another common concern is that fruit does not leave people feeling full. While this may be true when fruit is eaten on its own, fruit does not have to replace a meal. It can be enjoyed as part of breakfast, added to lunch or eaten as a snack alongside nutritious foods such as yoghurt, roasted groundnuts or beans. The goal is simply to make fruit a regular part of an overall healthy eating pattern rather than an occasional treat.

Small habits can shape lifelong health

The teenage and young adult years are a critical period for establishing lifelong habits. The choices made today often become tomorrow’s routines.

Learning to enjoy fruit regularly may seem like a small step, but it can become part of a much broader pattern of healthy living—one that includes eating well, staying physically active, getting enough sleep and making informed health decisions throughout adulthood.

Healthy habits are rarely built through dramatic changes. They are built through simple choices repeated consistently over time.

The Bottom Line

Addressing undernourishment among young people can begin with something as simple as choosing a piece of fruit each day. Fruits provide essential nutrients that many young people fail to consume in adequate amounts, helping to improve diet quality, support healthy growth and development, strengthen immunity and promote lifelong health.

As we mark International Youth Day, let us encourage our young people to build healthy habits that will serve them for a lifetime.

Written by Dr. Laurene Boateng and Stella-Rene Quarshie (A dietetic intern at International Maritime Hospital)

Dr. Laurene Boateng is a Registered Dietitian and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Dietetics, University of Ghana. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Full Proof Nutrition, a Nutrition Consultancy committed to providing reliable, evidence-based, and practical healthy eating advice through its website www.fullproofnutrition.com.  Click here to join Full Proof Nutrition WhatsApp channel to receive more educative content. Send us a mail on fullproofnutrition@gmail.com. Grab a copy of my book on healthy eating – available now on Selar (Buy HEALTHY EATING MADE SIMPLE by Laurene Boateng on Selar) and Amazon (https://amzn.eu/d/6i9OeVb).

References

Ministry of Food and Agriculture, & University of Ghana School of Public Health. (2023). Food-based dietary guidelines. Ministry of Food and Agriculture. https://mofa.gov.gh/site/images/pdf/Ghana_Food_Based_Dietary_Guidelines_2023.pdf

Mintah, B., Eliason, A., Nsiah, M., Baah, E., Hagan, E., & Ofosu, D. (2012). Consumption of fruits among students: A case of a public university in Ghana. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 12(2), 5978–5993. https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.50.9785

World Health Organization. (2024, November 15). Adolescents: Health risks and solutions. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescents-health-risks-and-solutions