News
- National Nutrition Week is celebrated every year from September 1 to 7.
- The week-long event aims to raise awareness about the importance of nutrition.
- In 1980, National Nutrition Week was celebrated for a month in the United States.
New Delhi: National Nutrition Week has been observed across the country since September 1 to September 7. The main objective of this annual event is to raise awareness about the importance of nutrition for good health, which further impacts growth, productivity, economic development and ultimately national development. For proper growth and a healthy lifestyle, one should consume nutritious food and strictly avoid junk and unhealthy foods. To maintain a strong immune system, a person must include a range of nutrients in their diet. You need to consume enough carbohydrates, fiber, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins and water each day to get the nutrients you need.
Physical growth and functionality mainly depend on a balanced diet rich in necessary nutrients. This annual week-long event highlights the value and importance of nutrition to the human body.
History
The Indian government launched a campaign in 1982 to educate common people about the value of nutrition and encourage them to lead healthy and sustainable lives. This was the first National Nutrition Week in India which eventually led to the implementation of the observation in our country.
However, the American Dietetic Association (ADA), currently known as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, started National Nutrition Week in 1975. It was created to educate the public about healthy eating and promote the field of dietitians. Notably, the project received such a positive response that in 1980, the week-long celebration continued for an entire month that year.
Theme
Each year, National Nutrition Week is marked with a unique and special theme focused on a specific nutrition-related topic. The theme for National Nutrition Week 2022 is “The World of Flavors”.
Importance
Various campaigns and initiatives are organized throughout the National Nutrition Week with the aim of creating awareness on how children and citizens can benefit from a healthy diet from the moment they are born. People from all walks of life participate and contribute to these programs in order to benefit both themselves and others.
Even the government organizes a number of programs throughout National Nutrition Week to promote healthy eating. The week is filled with several events held at the state, district and local levels. One-day seminars are also organized to create awareness and build skills among state and district level officers on the value of nutrition for better health. Many activities are also organized, including a competition for the best nutritious recipe and a nutritional quiz.