Daily Heritage November 16

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Nov 16/17 NEW.qxp_Layout 1 11/15/17 9:06 PM Page 5 06 View WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERITAGE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017 Letter from Africa: Parenting culture clash BY ELIZABETH OHENE AS PART of series of letters from African journalists, Elizabeth Ohene looks at how parenting styles in Ghana compares to those in the United States (US). I have been conducting my own totally unscientific survey of the difference between children brought up in Ghana and those brought up in the US. If you asked me which children are the better behaved, American or Ghanaian, I would have no hesitation in opting for the Ghanaian ones. I suppose there would be no surprise in such an answer. I am an old Ghanaian woman and my definition of a well-behaved child is probably weighted towards one that is liberal with pleasantries: "Please", "sir", "madam", "thank you", and knows it is unacceptable to address someone older in a "naked", unadorned manner - to borrow a touch of Ghanaian English. In other words, it is a sign of bad upbringing to call an elder person without a title, as in calling me Elizabeth without "Auntie", or "Da", or "Madam" or "Miss" or whatever title comes to mind. A child brought up in the US would call me Elizabeth and a child brought up in Ghana would find a title to add to the Elizabeth. In my part of the world, children speak and behave, or are expected to behave, differently from grown-ups. Admittedly this is a culturally biased perception, but there is •Elizabeth Ohene's grandmother felt children should not be in a hurry to grow up nothing new in that. Now if you asked me which children are the happier lot, American or Ghanaian, I would probably say the Ghanaian ones. However, I now hesitate about this conclusion after I was recently told that many Ghanaian children now believe happiness is measured by how many times their parents buy them Kentucky Fried Chicken. I have to add that the KFC fast-food chain made an entry into Ghana about two years ago. On that basis, of course, the American children must be miles ahead of the Ghanaian children in the happiness league. Does acknowledging your child's opinion help to build their confidence? I have tried to check on my "Yes Auntie Elizabeth" child and compare them to the "Yes Elizabeth" child in later life to see if being brought up to say "Auntie", • Ghanaian children tend not to address adults by just their first names A child brought up in the US would call me Elizabeth and a child brought up in Ghana would find a title to add to the Elizabeth. •Does acknowledging your child's opinion help to build their confidence? "Sir" or "Madam" makes any difference in their lives. I confess the results are mixed and I am therefore beginning to think my judgement on a child being well brought up does not affect that child's performance in later life. There are some unadorned "Elizabeth" callers that seem to be doing as well and sometimes even better than some of the "Auntie Elizabeth" callers. Controlling parents It is predictable therefore that I was excited but not quite sure what to make of the recent survey done by an American university on the parenting of adolescent children in Ghana and the US. In the study, by Clark University, across two cultures, it was found that "when parents acknowledge the perspectives of their adolescent children and encourage them to express themselves, the young people have a stronger sense of self-worth, intrinsic motivation, and engagement and there is less depression". The teenagers answered questions about the extent to which their parents acknowledged their point of view and allowed them to make decisions, have choices, and express their opinions. Questionnaires also assessed the extent to which adolescents perceived their parents as controlling their behaviour, as well as their academic motivation, sense of self-worth, level of depression and perception of themselves as independent from their parents or as a unit with their parents. Something tells me these are words, which when stripped of the fancy cloak of academic verbiage, mean allowing children to behave like grown-ups. Elizabeth Ohene's grandmother felt children should not be in a hurry to grow up The study also found that allowing adolescents to make decisions and have choices was associated with positive outcomes only in the US. In other words, the Ghanaian parents tended to believe that they should make the big decisions for their children. I am not at all sure whether a child having to say "please", "thank you", "sir", "madam" or curtseying and bowing to greet an elder person count as not allowing children to make decisions, but I do know that over here in Ghana, we do like to have some distinction between grown-ups and children. As my sainted grandmother of old used to say, "You will have a lot of time to be a grown-up, there is no need to hurry your childhood." In other words, you will have a lot of time to make decisions, some of which will be disastrous; enjoy the period in which your parents are making the decisions for you. At least you would have someone to blame.
Nov 16/17 NEW.qxp_Layout 1 11/15/17 9:07 PM Page 6 Health benefits of Avacado Healthy for the heart Avocados contain 25 milligrams per ounce of a natural plant sterol called beta-sitosterol. Regular consumption of betasitosterol and other plant sterols has been found to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Great for vision Avocados contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that are especially concentrated in the tissues in the eyes, where they provide antioxidant protection to help minimize damage, including that from ultraviolet light. Osteoporosis prevention Half of an avocado provides approximately 25% of the dailyrecommended intake for vitamin K, a nutrient that is often overlooked, but which is essential for bone health. Healthy babies Folate is also extremely important for a healthy pregnancy, with adequate intake reducing the risk of miscarriage and neural tube defects. WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERITAGE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017 &Env. World Diabetes Day Women are at higher risk WORLD DIA- BETES experts have said Asians and Africans, especially women, and further those in the reproductive age group fall in the high risk category. Every year, November 14 is observed as World Diabetes Day, a campaign focused on spreading awareness about a condition which affects an estimated 371 million people globally. What makes women even more vulnerable are gender roles and power dynamics which impact how they access healthcare services and their attitudes towards the condition. According to the International Diabetes Federation, there are over 199 million women with diabetes at present around the world, a statistic which is expected to rise to 313 million by 2040. Additionally, for women, diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death around the world, causing 2.1 million deaths annually. The campaign this year seeks to "promote the importance of affordable and equitable access for all women at risk or living with diabetes, to the essential diabetes medicines and technologies, self-management education and information they require, to achieve optimal diabetes outcomes and strengthen their capacity to prevent type 2 diabetes.” What makes women even more vulnerable are gender roles and power dynamics which impact how they access healthcare services and their attitudes towards the condition. •Patient checking for sugar level Who can get diabetes Anyone with a family history of the condition or leading a sedentary lifestyle is at risk. Why women are at a higher risk A diabetologist with Fortis Hospitals in Bengaluru, Dr Sanjay Reddy, explains women go through several phases during their lifetimes, from puberty to childbirth to menopause. Combined with other factors, women tend to gain weight after each of these phases. Dr Reddy said this weight gain keeps on adding over the years, simultaneously increasing their Body Mass Index (BMI). “This is unlike in the case of men where the weight gain is constant and this gain contributes to an increased risk of diabetes. He added that women suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and pregnant women are also more prone to getting diabetes. What is gestational diabetes This condition affects women, without diabetes, and causes them to develop high blood sugar levels during their pregnancy. A Consultant of Diabetes and Endocrinology at Manipal Hospitals, Dr Karthik Prabhakar, said more women today are delaying their pregnancies late into their 20s and 30s, a time when a high risk of diabetes already exists. And due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, plus other factors such as obesity, PCOS, Pre-diabetes or a history of diabetes, they get gestational diabetes." Though a temporary condition which goes away after childbirth, it can affect both the mother and child if not controlled properly. "Gestational diabetes is an even bigger problem than diabetes. In 80% of cases, it goes away after delivery, and then people tend to look away. This could later turn into proper diabetes in the next 10 years (if they follow an unhealthy lifestyle)," he adds. Treatment “If you have diabetes, you can live well with diabetes. It is not a disease; it is a disorder. The idea is not to become a patient,” Dr Reddy said. Diabetics need to be careful not to get complications related to the condition. “As the condition affects several body parts, including eyes, kidneys, heart and nerves, we don't want any of these to be affected. You need to keep your blood glucose level very much under control, HbA1c level less than 7, blood pressure around 138, cholesterol under control, not gain weight and be physically active. Take medicines and monitor your diabetes regularly, and check that you don't have complications," he adds. Prevention While family history and genetics cannot be changed, Dr Karthik stressed that changes in lifestyle can go a long way in diabetes prevention. Some steps include eating a balanced diet, exercising, getting adequate sleep, avoiding stress, maintaining a healthy BMI and regular blood tests for those with a family history of diabetes. Eating healthy “What is important is the right food in the right quantity. Quantity can be decided based on BMI, age, physical activity etc,” Dr Karthik stated. He advises people to consume carbohydrates with fibres instead of refined carbs. "Eat unpolished rice over polished rice, brown over white, wheat also has more fibre. So does ragi and millets. Our bodies need around 50% carbohydrates and it should come from carbs that have fibres," he says. Proteins (20-30%) can be got from animal sources such as eggs, milk meat, or vegetarian options like sprouts and pulses. The remaining consists of 'healthy' fats that are high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). “The remaining can be fibre, fruits and vegetables. Ensure you drink at least 3 litres of water every day. A balanced diet should be a mixture of different elements; one doesn't have to eat the same food every day. There are options. And one can always take advice from a nutritionist,” he said. — BBC
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Daily Heritage November 16

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