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The week will be celebrated under the theme “Healthy Eating and Active Living: Good Nutrition within Your Budget”.
The week will be celebrated under the theme “Healthy Eating and Active Living: Good Nutrition within Your Budget”.
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Nutrition Awareness Week will be celebrated from tomorrow, Sunday, June 1, to June 7 and aims to promote healthy nutrition and active living, with a focus on making meals affordable.

The week will be celebrated under the theme “Healthy Eating and Active Living: Good Nutrition within Your Budget”.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment noted that healthy food and improved nutrition should be a high priority in every household because of the positive effect on health and well-being, enhanced learning ability and improved academic, athletic and work performance.

“Healthy nutrition is needed throughout the lifecycle in order to prevent or reverse the adverse effects of underweight and nutrient deficiencies, overweight, obesity and poor eating habits on risk and development of disease,” the Ministry said.

It however noted that the high cost of healthy foods can deter some families from ensuring that all family members receive and consume healthy meals on a daily basis.

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The objectives of Nutrition Awareness Week are:

  1. To promote the use of the National Dietary Guidelines and the six Caribbean food groups in planning affordable, healthy and balanced meals.
  2. To empower persons to manage their eating and exercise habits and to reduce their risk of developing nutrition-related chronic diseases.
  3. To promote nutrition and dietetics as a valuable career option and profession

The objectives and activities of the week were developed in response to the people’s need for information and guidance on planning healthy meals that are affordable and to provide a forum for such sharing, the ministry said.

The programme of activities for the week include worship at Faith Temple, New Montrose at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday and am address on NBC Radio by Minister of Health Clayton Burgin.

There will also be open day at the Belair, Greiggs and Stubbs Health Centres on Monday; Barrouallie, Campden Park, Chateaubelair, Park Hill and Sion Hill Health Centres, on Tuesday; and Evesham, Overland and Greiggs Health Centres on Thursday.

The will be a Nutrition Symposium and Fair at the Methodist Church Hall from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday. The Rotary/Ministry of Education National Secondary Schools Nutrition Quiz Competition, takes place at Frenches House at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

And there will be a Fun Health Walk from Calliaqua Playing Field at 5:30 a.m. Saturday, to be followed by the Nutrition session at Pan Against Crime Concert in Diamond Village at 4 p.m. that same day.

The week of activities also includes programmes on various radio stations, and the Ministry of Health is urging the public to participate in and benefit from the activities and to recommit to improving their nutritional health and that of their families, communities and nation, through healthy eating within budget.