Health
Nigerian Scholar Pioneers Plant-Based Nutrition Breakthrough for Elderly Care
Joel Ajayi
A Nigerian academic is making promising strides in global nutrition research, bringing hope for improved dietary care for elderly patients with high cholesterol.
Feyisola Fisayo Ajayi, a lecturer at the Federal University Gashua in Yobe State and a PhD student at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), recently completed a research visit to the Department of Food Science at Purdue University in the United States. Her work focuses on developing innovative, plant-based nutritional solutions tailored to the needs of older adults living with hypercholesterolemia.
During her time at Purdue, Ajayi investigated the development of a novel plant protein–derived nutritional hydrogel designed to make cholesterol-lowering nutrients easier and more appealing for elderly patients to consume. Research has shown that many older adults struggle with powdered nutraceuticals due to reduced appetite, diminished taste sensitivity, and a weakened sense of smell. Ajayi’s work offers a practical alternative.
The plant-based hydrogel she is developing has a unique thermo-reversible property: it remains solid at room temperature but melts when exposed to higher temperatures. This makes it an effective and user-friendly vehicle for delivering cholesterol-lowering bioactive compounds.
“This hydrogel is unique because it combines functionality with acceptability,” Ajayi explained. “By incorporating plant proteins into a thermo-reversible structure, we can create a product that is both effective and appealing for elderly patients who need reliable dietary interventions.”
Her research at Purdue includes detailed analyses of the hydrogel’s physicochemical characteristics, stability, and rheological behavior. In addition, in-vitro digestion studies are being conducted to assess how effectively the hydrogel can deliver essential bioactive compounds during digestion.
Ajayi’s work aligns with global efforts to promote sustainable, plant-based, and functional food solutions, particularly for vulnerable populations. Her research contributes to the growing field of functional foods and protein chemistry, with potential applications in clinical nutrition and long-term dietary management.
Beyond the scientific impact, her visit to Purdue University highlights the value of international academic collaboration in addressing complex health and nutrition challenges. As she continues her doctoral research at UAEU, Ajayi hopes to translate her findings into practical nutritional products that can benefit elderly populations in Nigeria, the UAE, and beyond.
Her achievements underscore the power of cross-border research and academic exchange programs in driving innovation. With scholars like Ajayi leading the way, the future of functional, plant-based nutrition solutions looks increasingly bright.
Health
Stakeholders Applaud A360 Impact On Adolescent Health
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s health and development sector say the institutionalisation and scale-up of the Adolescent 360 (A360) Amplify project have greatly improved adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes in participating states.
They made this known at a dissemination meeting on the project on Thursday in Abuja.
It was implemented by the Society for Family Health (SFH) and partners, and later adopted into government systems following documented successes.
Launched in 2020, the A360 project was designed to provide adolescent girls with access to sexual and reproductive health information, youth-friendly services and economic empowerment opportunities.
The programme was implemented in Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna and Nasarawa States using a human-centred design approach that engaged governments, communities and young people to improve uptake of family planning and maternal health services.
Dr Aisha Sadiq, Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Ministry of Health, said institutionalising A360 had delivered measurable improvements in adolescent health indicators and community wellbeing.
She said Kaduna currently provides A360 youth-friendly services in 623 Primary Health Care (PHC) centres.
The Matasan Mata Arewa (MMA) initiative, she added, had reached 75 communities and empowered more than 15,000 girls with entrepreneurship skills and seed capital.
According to her, more than 60,000 girls have accessed contraceptives through the programme, with a reduction in discontinuation rates as more young women sustain use and transition to maternal and child health services.
“These changes have shown a marked reduction in maternal mortality among those communities. It has also reduced negative neonatal outcomes,” she said.
Sadiq recounted an elderly woman’s remarks from a programme community, calling them a strong reflection of the project’s success.
“These girls have spent their whole lives believing they will remain tolerable liabilities to the husbands they marry, but now they are realising the value of becoming appreciated assets,” she quoted.
Sadiq added that Kaduna’s 16 per cent health budget allocation and the integration of A360 activities into the state’s 2025 Annual Operational Plan demonstrated sustained political commitment.
Also speaking, Dr Omokhudu Idogho, Managing Director, SFH, said the four implementing states had successfully embedded A360 approaches into government systems, community structures and routine health practices.
He was represented by Dr Kenechukwu Erichalo, Deputy Managing Director, Project Delivery.
Idogho said the project had reached more than one million adolescent girls with family planning services and engaged over 500,000 others with comprehensive sexuality education messaging.
“We recorded more than 50,000 antenatal care visits, ensuring that girls received skilled care that saved lives, and supported over half a million girls to learn income-generating skills,” he said.
He said A360 pioneered the MMA and Niger Girls models, demonstrating that culturally sensitive, human-centred programmes can succeed even in conservative communities.
“Our most significant achievement is institutionalisation. Today, all 1,750 A360-supported facilities are fully government-led,” he added.
Mrs Roselyn Odeh, A360 Project Lead, said the initiative was developed in response to poor adolescent health indices in the country.
She said the programme ensured respectful, youth-friendly services at PHCs and supported school reintegration and entrepreneurship for girls.
She said the decision to scale the programme in northern states was based on data.
“When you look at maternal mortality among young people, you know the section of the country it is coming from. Data drove our decisions in alignment with government priorities,” she said.
Odeh identified challenges including weak PHC infrastructure, funding gaps, commodity shortages and the need to engage husbands in conservative communities.
“But creatively, we worked with governments to mobilise domestic funding through health revolving funds and the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund,” she said.
Mr Sagir Musa, Commissioner for Youth, Jigawa State, assured of continued commitment from implementing states to sustain and expand the project’s gains.
“This project may be nearing closure, but for us, it has just begun. We have gone beyond its life cycle to embed its approaches in the things we do,” he said.
The dissemination meeting brought together policymakers, community leaders, development partners and beneficiaries to review lessons learned and outline future priorities for scaling adolescent health interventions nationwide.
(NAN)
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