ISSN: 2471-9315
Kodzo Lalit Dzifa, Ousman Bajinka*, Pa Omar Jarju
Nutrition is an important aspect of our daily lives. Poor nutrition can lead to so many illnesses especially NonCommunicable Diseases (NCDs). The burden of deaths from NCDs annually account for about 63% of global deaths. Although mental illnesses are most often left out of NCDs, they seem to have received increased attention recently as they have been found to co-exist with NCDS, exacerbating observed symptoms, and themselves being potent causative agents especially under conditions of malnourishment and lack of vital nutrients in diets. The burden of depression could be reduced by adequate intake of essential nutrients. Targeted nutrition could also serve as a therapeutic measure to depression and other NCDs. By review of literature on existing food and nutrient sources, this paper seeks to elucidate the variety of foods that can be put to good use to help limit the burden of depression and other NCDs amongst high-risk individuals in Ghana. Effective health education and improved socioeconomic states could help change dietary patterns thereby prolonging or eliminating the onset and reducing the burden of some non-communicable diseases in the country.