SHSU Prof Speaks About Nutrition On Pakistani TV

It turns out that nutrition is pretty much the same everywhere, even halfway around the world.
SHSU family and consumer sciences assistant professor Zaheer Kirmani spoke about nutrition on national TV in Pakistan on June 19.

Kirmani was in Pakistan to visit family and was asked to do the interview while visiting a friend of his brother's.
“He liked what I had to say regarding dietary practices in Pakistan and thought something could be done in the benefit of a common Pakistani by saying a few good words based on sound science and expertise," Kirmani said.

Kirmani's work is based on just that: making nutritional decisions based on science.

"The curricula leading to becoming a registered dietitian are accredited by the American Dietetic Association. ADA is a 75,000-member organization consisting of registered dietitians,” Kirmani said. “There are no other acknowledged titles. Anybody can call herself or himself a nutritionist."

The show consisted of an interview with anchor Touseek Haither, who asked a variety of questions.
Haither was curious about the health effects of consuming beef. Pakistanis are against eating beef for health reasons, and in India, which also received the broadcast, for religious reasons.

Kirmani explained that beef could be a good source of iron, especially for women, and that its fat and cholesterol content could be reduced to that of fish if it is rinsed with hot water.

He was then asked about spinach as a source of iron, but explained that the high content of oxalic acid in spinach prevents the human body from absorbing that iron efficiently.

When asked about vegetarianism, Kirmani replied that with a little planning, vegetarian meals can be healthy, especially if they include dairy products, which are good sources of vitamin B-12, an essential nutrient.

Kirmani also talked about supplements.

"Supplements, either so-called natural or pills, are unnecessary and even dangerous in quite a few instances,” he said. “Vitamin supplementation should only be used under medical supervision. One-a-Day-type vitamin supplements have not been found to be harmful in several studies although they are not recommended as a substitute for a sensible diet.

"People in Pakistan are looking for that diet which can make them happy and healthy in an effortless manner just like we want in the U.S.," Kirmani said.

The problem of obesity is rooted in the same causes for both countries—affluence, he added.

“Since Pakistan is a developing country, it does not seem to have significant overall nutrition-related problems because people are forced to walk a lot in order to utilize public transport,” Kirmani said. “What I observed was that affluent people within that society are feeling the pains of the West’s nutritional problems.”

These nutritional problems include obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, all of which seems to be very prevalent in the affluent segments of society, Kirmani said.

"It is alarming that [Pakistan] feels that there is no need for registered dietitians to provide sensible nutrition information. Old notions of 'good foods' and 'bad foods' have a very strong hold,” he said. “It will take very dedicated effort by the government to fend off this trend, otherwise I see very dark clouds on the horizon."

He explained that Pakistan is facing the problems of any developing country---pollution, fast food and colas. There are no emission controls and roads are in poor condition.

Kirmani said people are the same wherever they live, and with the world being made smaller by global commerce, "our pains or gains are shared equally across the globe."

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SHSU Media Contact: Kelly Garrison
July 21, 2006
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