Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare presided over an online orientation workshop organised by the FSSAI as part of its Eat Right Challenge. He also launched FSSAI’s ‘Eat Right India’ Handbook and the website https://eatrightindia.gov.in/EatRightIndia/index.jsp These have been created with a view to Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare was also digitally present as were Ms. Rita Teaotia, Chairperson, FSSAI and Shri Arun Singhal, CEO, FSSAI.
The ‘Eat Right India’ movement has been initiated by FSSAI under the aegis of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to create awareness amongst the people about safe, healthy and sustainable dietary habits. The workshop is unique in that it brought together big restaurant chefs to roadside eatery owners under the same umbrella to achieve a single goal of eating right. The FSSAI announced the Eat Right Challenge, an annual competition which would not only create awareness among the consumers but would also strengthen the food safety and regulatory environment across the country.
The Eat Right Challenge competition will be conducted for 197 Districts and Cities in a unique fashion which would encourage people to make better food choices. The Food Safety Commissioners and district officials such as District Magistrates and Designated Officers of these cities were also present for the online workshop. Dr Harsh Vardhan addressed the officials of the 197 cities and districts and laid emphasis on the need for the Eat Right Challenge. On releasing the ‘Eat Right Handbook’ Dr Harsh Vardhan said, “Food is not only about hunger or taste but about health and nourishment. He encouraged the officials to use the handbook as a handy reference guide to scale-up Eat Right India (ERI) initiatives in their respective jurisdictions.
The Health Minister also highlighted the importance of Eat Right India along with Fit India, Poshan Abhiyaan, Anaemia Mukt Bharat, Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan as forming the cornerstones of Prime Minister’s New India. It is a fact that out of the 135 crore people living in India, 196 million are victims of chronic hunger while another 180 million suffer from obesity. There are 47 million children who are affected by stunted growth while another 25 million are wasted. About 500 million are deficient in micro-nutrients and 100 million suffer from food-borne diseases. Dr Harshvardhan pointed out that Eat Right India movement will help sharpen focus on prioritising food, nutrition and awareness so as to combat these health issues. It would also lay emphasis on everyday dietary habits to prevent and address these challenges. It would also bring into focus the problem of food wastage and disposal of food.
Dr Harsh Vardhan further spoke of the key role played by healthy food and nutrition in combating morbidity and how diet helps in building one’s resilience and immunity against various kinds of diseases. He brought to the notice of everyone how non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular complications etc. are directly or indirectly related to faulty diets and these diseases are responsible for about 61.8% deaths. Even communicable diseases like tuberculosis disproportionately affect people who are undernourished. He also said that “people of the same household are showing different responses to COVID-19 based on their immunity, which they have acquired through nutrition.”
Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey highlighted the role of age-old wisdom and traditional practices of Ayurveda in guiding people to eat right as Ayurveda categories foods according to the effect they have on the body. Quoting the Bhagwadgita and the Upanishads, he spoke of the role of traditional eating habits and plant-based diets. He asserted that the amalgamation of healthy eating habits and physical activity will lead to a better and healthier India.
Source : FSSAI
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