02 Sep 2022  |   04:48am IST

Celebrating a World of Flavours

Celebrating a World of Flavours

Merwyn Couto

The first week of September is recognised as National Nutrition Week in India. The goal of this week is to increase public awareness about the importance of healthy eating habits and getting enough nutrition to maintain a healthy lifestyle. To stay healthy, two things are mainly required – a balanced diet and an active and healthy lifestyle. For National Nutrition Week, the government has rolled out initiatives to raise awareness about nutrition among the general public.

Every year, National Nutrition Week is celebrated under a specific theme. The theme of National Nutrition Week 2022 is ‘Celebrate a World of Flavours.’ The purpose is to motivate people to have healthy nutrition while enjoying the flavours of food.

Although National Nutrition Week is from September 1 to 7, Poshan Maah (Nutrition Month) is celebrated in September to focus on malnutrition, especially in children and mothers all over the country. “The main aim is to focus on the nutrition of the mother and child. We have nutrition awareness programs in schools and Anganwadis, because everything starts from childhood,” says Nutrition Officer, Zhenya Lobo, of Directorate of Health Services at Mapusa Urban Health Centre. She further adds, “Anganwadi children get ‘nashta’ and school children are provided mid-day meals with different items throughout the week which are rich in calories and proteins.”

“Expecting mothers after three months of pregnancy and after doing full detailed tests, are supposed to register themselves in the Balwadi and the Health Department and receive a mother and child card. During pregnancy, the mother gets SNP (supplementary nutrition program) where she receives a monthly stock of grains, moong dal, chana dal, soya beans, kidney beans, jaggery and cooking oil. The mother continues to get the SNP after six months of delivery because she’s breastfeeding, after that it’s transferred to the child. The supplementary nutrition program continues for the child throughout schooling”, says Lobo.

National Nutrition Week was first recognised in India in 1982, when the government launched several initiatives to motivate, and educate people about healthy nutrition and its association with good health and longevity.

A healthy diet and nutrition has many benefits. It not only protects you from different types of chronic diseases like heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, respiratory diseases, but also makes you fit and healthy to live a happy, prosperous, and long life.

According to Global Hunger Health Index Report 2021, India is ranked 101st among 116 countries. With a score of 27.5, India has a level of hunger that needs urgent attantion.

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar