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Traditional postpartum practices can cause Type 2 diabetes — Medical Doctor
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Traditional postpartum practices that keep nursing mothers indoors to eat excessively, gain weight and ‘look good’ could increase their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and hypertension, a medical doctor has cautioned.
The practice, which is intended to help mothers recover from childbirth and regain their strength, encourages women to eat more while engaging in little or no physical activity.
According to Dr Elliot Koranteng Tannor, a Consultant Nephrologist at the OKomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Founder of Kidney Health International, excessive calorie intake coupled with physical inactivity after childbirth could result in continuous weight gain, particularly when mothers fail to shed pregnancy-related weight before subsequent pregnancies.
He said although pregnancy naturally resulted in weight gain to support the growth and development of the baby, some of the weight should gradually reduce after delivery as the baby and placenta were no longer in the mother’s body.
Dr Eliot said the problem comes when nursing mothers were encouraged to eat excessively on the assumption that they needed large quantities of food to produce sufficient breast milk.
He said while mothers needed adequate nutrition during breastfeeding, excessive eating without corresponding physical activity could result in a cycle of weight gain.
He illustrated that a woman who gained 4kg during her first pregnancy but failed to lose it, and subsequently gain the same after delivery, could enter her next pregnancy carrying eight additional kilogrammes.
The doctor cautioned that repeated weight accumulation could increase the risk of diabetes, hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions.
He urged families to change the perception that a woman must become visibly bigger after childbirth to prove that she was healthy and well cared for.
He added that the three-month period before the naming ceremony should instead be used to support mothers to recover healthily, eat balanced meals and gradually become physically active.
Dr Eliot recommended brisk walking and other appropriate physical activities after mothers had adequately recovered from childbirth.
He said mothers who had undergone Caesarean sections should allow their bodies to heal and follow medical advice before engaging in strenuous exercise, but simple walking could eventually form part of their recovery.
“A nursing mother does not go anywhere. You are on maternity leave, you are just sitting at home, eating, breastfeeding and sleeping. Obviously, your chances of gaining more weight increase,” he said.
He advised mothers to monitor their weight and blood sugar, particularly women with a family history of diabetes or those who had experienced gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
Dr Elliot explained that gestational diabetes could improve after delivery, but some women continued to have elevated blood sugar and could subsequently develop diabetes.
He therefore urged families to support nursing mothers with nutritious food without pressuring them to overeat, stressing that a mother did not need to become visibly heavier for people to recognise that she was healthy.
The doctor also advised mothers to maintain a healthy weight between pregnancies, saying preventing excessive weight accumulation could reduce their long-term risk of diabetes and hypertension.
He said cultural practices could be maintained as part of Ghanaian family life, but they should not compromise the health of mothers who had just gone through pregnancy and childbirth.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
The 29th Annual Dagaaba-Frafra Friendly Games have once again demonstrated that sports can be a powerful vehicle for cultural preservation, business networking, friendship and peaceful coexistence.
Held at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra last Saturday, the games brought together members of the two ethnic groups from across Ghana and abroad for a colourful celebration under the theme, “Unity in Diversity: The Dagaaba-Frafra Model for Peaceful Co-existence.”
The event, which has evolved from a friendly football match into a major annual gathering, featured football, volleyball, sack races, lime and spoon, tug-of-peace and a penalty shootout for senior citizens.
At the end of the competitions, the Frafra won four events, while the Dagaaba secured victories in five, with the men’s soccer match ending in a draw.
The Frafra triumphed in the men’s lime and spoon, men’s sack race, women’s sack race and women’s soccer, while the Dagaaba won the women’s lime and spoon, men’s volleyball, women’s volleyball, women’s tug-of-peace and the senior citizens’ penalty shootout.
However, the games extended far beyond the sporting arena. The stadium grounds and surrounding spaces became a vibrant marketplace, with patrons enjoying and purchasing a variety of traditional foods, drinks and cultural products.
Local delicacies, including TZ, tubaani, bambara beans, pork, guinea fowl, local fowls, dog meat and kosie, were sold alongside traditional alcoholic beverages. Traditional dresses and other culturally inspired items also attracted buyers, turning the gathering into an important platform for small businesses and vendors to make sales while promoting northern Ghanaian culture.
The cultural exchange continued long after the final sporting contests, as patrons remained at the venue to eat, drink, socialise, dance and party well into the night.
In her remarks, the Guest of Honour, Dr Matilda Aberese-Ako, said the gathering represented much more than competition, describing the Dagaaba-Frafra relationship as a historic bond that had evolved into a modern sporting tradition and an instrument for peace.
MTN Ghana has been the headline sponsor for the games for the past 10 years.
By Gordon Wellu
By Gordon Wellu
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MTN Ghana has undertaken a tree-planting exercise at the Chipa Forest Reserve as part of its commitment to protecting the planet and support the restoration of degraded sections of the forest.
The activity forms part of the company’s 2026 Sustainability Month celebration held under the theme “Small Actions: Big Impact,” and its 30th anniversary celebration.
It was held in partnership with the Forestry Commission (FC) and the Rainforest Alliance with MTN Ghana supporting the restoration of approximately two hectares of degraded forest through the planting of 1,666 trees.
Due to the current dry weather conditions, 833 trees were planted during the exercise, with the remaining 833 to be planted when the rain commences.
The exercise brought together MTN employee volunteers, officials from the Forestry Commission and representatives of the Rainforest Alliance, demonstrating the importance of collaboration in driving environmental sustainability.
Speaking at the event, the Acting General Manager for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN Ghana, Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, emphasized the critical role trees play in sustaining life and protecting the environment.
“Trees are essential to human survival and healthy ecosystems. They absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, regulate temperatures, protect soil, support biodiversity and provide habitats for many species. They also conserve water, reduce erosion and help communities adapt to the effects of climate change,” she said.
The District Manager of the Tema-Ada Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission, Linda Ansah, welcomed MTN Ghana’s support, describing it as a valuable contribution to efforts aimed at restoring degraded sections of the reserve.
The Country Director of the Rainforest Alliance, Nicholas Jengri, also welcomed the partnership and emphasised the importance of collective action in addressing environmental challenges.
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