Here's Everything You Need To Know About National Nutrition Week

India observes National Nutrition Week every year from September 1 to September 7 to raise public awareness about nutrition and healthy eating habits. The week is honoured to make people understand the importance of nutritional and adaptive eating habits to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

About The Programme

During National Nutrition Week, the government takes up various initiatives to spread awareness about proper nutrition. The seven days long events organized by India's ministry of women and child development emphasize the sayings "A healthy mind resides in a healthy body" or "health is wealth".

Previously, the government of India focused on nutrition, good food, a healthy body, mind, and lifestyle. A programme called 'POSHAN Abhiyan' was launched in 2018 to educate people about health and nutrition issues like stunting, wasting, Anemia and low birth weight in children, all due to under-nutrition.

It also focuses on adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers, thus holistically addressing malnutrition since they play a fundamental role in overall human development and social infrastructure, reports News18.

Significance

According to Global Hunger Health Index Report 2021, India ranked 101st among 116 countries and most of the deaths in children was causes due to malnutrition. Thus the week focuses on food and nutrition as crucial for overall physical and mental health. A balanced diet, essential for good health and well-being, can be fulfiled by adequate nutrition. Therefore, everyone must include a healthy diet in daily routines, like whole grains, fruits and vegetables; food helps grow and strengthen the immune system.

Nutrients such as carbohydrates, fibres, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins and water must be an essential part of our diet to maintain our healthy immune system. Because of the lack of nutrients in the body, a person's immune system becomes vulnerable to viruses and bacteria in our atmosphere.

As a result, we quickly get affected with viral fevers, cold and covid, especially when we have recently seen the devastation caused by it.We certainly don't want that to happen now, but with the new emergence of diseases like monkeypox, it is significant to be preventive. Ever since the pandemic has wreaked havoc, awareness about healthy food and nutrition has become even more critical.

History

In 1975, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) members, called the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, started the National Nutrition Week in March. It was observed to raise public awareness about good nutrition and promote the dietitians' profession.

The initiative received such a warm response that the week-long celebration lasted for a month in 1980. In India, the history of National Nutrition Week dates back to 1982; the government launched a campaign to educate individuals about the importance of nutrition and urged them to maintain a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

The theme for National Nutrition Week 2021 was 'feeding smart right from the start". The central government had launched a program to provide accurate information and raise awareness through seminars and workshops.

The government imparted knowledge about the benefit of good nutritious food to children, women, and other citizens with the help of various campaigns and initiatives. People from different walks of life participated in multiple sub-programs such as Bharat Poshan Premier Quiz, Good Food Talk Show, Healthy Khayega India and the week-long campaign.

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