Staff and students of the Fancy Government School moved out of the classroom on May 21 for a health awareness walk.
The three-mile walk to Owia, themed “Learning with good health”, aimed to “raise awareness to some of the very serious diseases”, principal Colbert Bowen said.
“Too many of our young people are eating sugary and salty foods,” he said.
He dedicated the walk to the memory of Kimanie Stay who was diagnosed with diabetes whilst a student at the Fancy Government School and died while he was at secondary school.
Stops were made at selected points where health professionals spoke on topics, including measles, hypertension and other non- communicable diseases, such as diabetes, and cervical and prostate cancer.
These diseases, nurse practitioner for the district
Teckla Jack said, are treatable and preventable, but incurable.
More and more young people are developing diabetes and are obesity, she said.
She encouraged the students to eat fruits, drink pure water, and avoid carbonated drinks and snacks with high salt contents.
The contingent, which also included parents, visited the Owia Government School and interacted with their peers and teachers.
The day’s activity ended with lunch and play at the Owia Salt Pond.
Why are we not demanding teaching nutrition education and therapeutic nutritional education principles in the schools from kindergarten up to community college? Children need to lead the change in educating parents about proper eating habits and this can be achieved only if it is a healthy part of the school healthy curriculum. This is where you have to start to get the desired effects and the changes in eating habits, diets, giving information about the effects poor diets have on chronic condition, emphasizing that you are what you eat.Changing lifestyles and proper eating habits are more significant than medications that only manage not heal unhealthy conditions.