Students join ‘Eat Right Walkathon’ in Kohima on July 26. (Morung Photo)

Our Correspondent

Kohima | July 26

Nagaland Health & Family Welfare Minister, S Pangnyu Phom called upon the people of Nagaland to take a pledge to ‘Eat Safe, Eat Healthy and Eat Sustainable’ and continue to educate the masses.

Flagging off ‘Eat Right Walkathon’ with the slogan ‘Eat Right, Stay Fit’ in Kohima on July 26, the Minister said the event itself “is so important as it would spread the message for having healthy food and to combat negative nutritional trends to beat lifestyle diseases.”

The masses will be informed through this event in volume for mainstreaming “Eat Right India” including adoption of fortified foods in one’s diet, he said.

The minister also appealed the authority to cross check every essentials that is coming into Nagaland state and the production which are made in the state for “our consumption.”

“The adulterated food items and other products must be properly checked by the authority for everyone’s well being. Action against the defaulters be strict and penalty be imposed as per the law. So, that we don’t face any health complications as we live on,” the minister said.

Further, the minister maintained that the awareness programme in the grassroots level will serve the purpose of the department and the authority concerned by guiding its citizens to choose the best and healthy food for longer and healthy life.

 

Eat Right movement

Marking the Eat Right movement, the Eat Right Walkathon commenced from Classic Island to St. Peter School, Supply Colony Kohima wherein “Eat Right Mela demonstration” took place with the slogan “Food Safety is a shared responsibility.”

Among the many placard reads “Eat fortified food, look for +F logo,” “Eat Safe food to prevent food borne diseases,” “You do not have to eat less, you just have to eat right,” etc. etc.

The medical minister expressed happiness to the participants for creating awareness to the common people to adopt healthy food to live a healthy life.

Dr V Vikato Kinimi, Principal Director, Health & Family Welfare & Additional Food Safety Commissioner, Nagaland said, the eat right movement in being organized to disseminate information, awareness, and to empower citizens for behavioural change towards healthy food including Fortified Food and take conscious decision to support good health for a healthy nation.

“Our participation today is a small step but to amplify the Eat Right movement across the country,” Dr Kinimi said.

Today’s programme was organized by Food Safety Authority, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Nagaland under the aegis Food Safety & Standards Authority of India as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Other partners for this event include; Centre for Health Research & Innovation, NSE, Kohima Smart City Development Limited, Family Planning Association of India (Nagaland Branch) and Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission.

 

Unhealthy and healthy foods

Through a pamphlet made available at the Eat Right mela, the State Food Safety Authority outlined “unhealthy and healthy foods.”

It stated that unhealthy foods are those containing little or no proteins, vitamins or minerals but are rich in salt, sugar, fats and are high in energy (calories) HFSS (High Fat Salt Sugar) foods.

It stated that healthy foods help in maintaining good health, support growth and body building. They provide us with essential nutrients and energy to carry out our day today activities.

Example for healthy food includes; protein rich foods like milk, milk shakes, lassi, smoothies, omletee, fish, besan chillas, Spouts and salads, fruits and fruit juice are rich in vitamins and minerals.

In another pamphlet, it recommended “Being able to understand and correctly interpret the labels on food items is vitally important to be able to make good choices and prepare healthy food in your kitchen.”

Always check the date of manufacture and expiry or “Best Before” date for freshness.

Be sure to consume foods before the “Best Before” date or before the “Expiry Date” has lapsed.

It also conveyed the necessity to look for logos like FSSAI for all packaged foods and beverages, ISI for packaged drinking water and certain processed foods, AGMARK for all agricultural products, Green dot for vegetarian food and Maroon dot for non-vegetarian food including egg.