A week dedicated to nutrition, something we should all value in our lives but we don’t. Nutrition Week is celebrated every year around the world from September 1 to 7. From the moment a baby is born, only proper nutrition helps him grow healthily and quickly. However, these days, with so many developments happening everywhere and the food industry focusing more on Instagramy foods and decor, real nutrition is disappearing from our plates at a much faster rate. While we agree that healthy eating is becoming a trend these days, it shouldn’t have gone out of style in the first place.
With the readily available options of junk food, refined sugar, and high sodium foods, people have forgotten the value of real nutrition. Decrease in diet is not only caused by lack of food, but also by replacing nutritious foods with excessively refined junk foods. With obesity killing us little by little every day, it has become absolutely necessary for us to go back to basics and include foods rich in protein, rich in fiber and good fats in our diet.
Different fad diets that ask you to completely exclude a food group or starve also deprive you of complete nutrition. Do you consider ghee bad for your health? If taken in moderation, ghee can actually help you. Here is Health Benefits of Ghee. In addition, different types of nutritional deficiencies are also catching up, particularly among Indian children. You will be shocked to know but according to UNICEF India, the statistics on child nutrition in India are extremely heartbreaking. UNICEF points out that “In India, 20 percent of children under the age of five suffer from wasting due to acute undernutrition. More than a third of the world’s wasted children live in India. Second, 43 percent of Indian children under the age of five are underweight and 48 percent (or 61 million children) are stunted due to chronic undernutrition. India accounts for more than three in ten stunted children globally. Undernutrition is significantly higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Short birth intervals are associated with higher levels of undernutrition. The percentage of severely underweight children is almost five times higher among children whose mothers have no education than among children whose mothers have attended school for 12 years or more. “Immunity-boosting foods are really essential for children. Boost your Childhood Immunity with 10 Important Nutrients for a Strong Immune System
Photo credit: Pixabay
National Nutrition Week Theme
This year, the theme of nutrition week is “Going further with food”. Food, the main source of nutrition, must be chosen wisely and to go further in food, it is necessary to explore the nutritious food options we are provided by mother nature. In addition to raising awareness of the need to make informed food choices, Nutrition Week also propagates a holistic approach towards a healthier society, theme after theme.
Image credit: Pixabay
History of National Nutrition Week
Launched in 1982 by the central government, the campaign was launched to raise awareness and encourage people as a society to understand the importance of nutrition and adopt a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Malnutrition is one of the main obstacles to the overall development of the country and one that we all want to overcome. To help combat malnutrition or undernourishment, National Nutrition Week is celebrated. The Food and Nutrition Board, comprising 43 units, works hand in hand across the country to achieve the goal of a Nourished India.
Past Nutrition Week Themes
2011- “Smart food from the start”
2012-‘Key to a Healthy Nation – Nutrition Awareness’
2013- “Dinnertime Project – Eat, cook and enjoy”
2014- ‘Aahar aur Poshak Desh ka Aadhar’
2015- “Key to development: good nutrition”
2017- “Optimal infant and young child feeding practices: better child health”
2018- “Going further with food”
Photo credit: Pexels/Flickr
Collective objectives of National Nutrition Week
-
- Contribute to raising awareness among the population in the fight against malnutrition and other health problems due to lack of nutrition.
- Raise awareness about the power of food in terms of sustainable living.
- Encourage people to choose a healthy lifestyle to prevent nutritional deficiencies and other health problems. Did you know Increased carbon dioxide in the air can reduce nutrients in grains And trigger malnutrition in India
- Help implement national nutrition programs hand-crafted based on country needs.
- Increase awareness related to health and nutrition orientation training.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Nutrition and India
In terms of nutrition in India, the extent of food shortage and the distribution of population in the country play an important role. According to the World Health Organization, “India contributes one-third of the global burden of undernutrition. Given the size of India’s population, investing in actions to reduce all forms of malnutrition is particularly important, not only for India itself, but also to support the achievement of the Global Goals.
Where is the problem? Although food shortage is not considered a problem, awareness of nutrition is extremely low. The solution to this problem lies in expertise in the field of nutrition. According to a study on public health nutrition education in India, the major problem is lack of nutrition education. The study says: “In India, where nearly 190 institutions offer nutrition services at some academic level, the challenge lies not in infrastructure but in trained faculty and mentors. Resources must be invested in curriculum review, rigorous training, teaching research skills, and integrating practical experiences, while providing an environment
with protected time for scientific reading/writing. Gender bias plays a major role in poor nutritional intake among men and women. Due to lack of resources, women remain more malnourished than men, even during pregnancy. Are You Getting These 9 Essential Nutrients Women Need Most? Lack of education also plays a role in India’s malnutrition situation and gender nutrition gap.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 1, 2018 11:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment & lifestyle , log in to our website. lately.com).
Share now
