NUTRITION WEEK 2011

DEPARTMENT OF NUTRITION,
M.V.HOSPITAL FOR DIABETES, ROYAPURAM


Nutrition is the focal point of health and well- being and is directly related to human resource development, productivity, and ultimately, to national growth. In order to provide education and to create an awareness of the importance of nutritional food habits among individuals, September 1st – 7th is observed as National Nutritional Week in our country.

It was celebrated for the first time in 1981 to highlight the problem of malnutrition which continues unabated despite significant achievements made in agricultural production, food sufficiency and industrial growth.

Malnutrition is a complex phenomenon. It is the cause and the effect of poverty and ill - health, and follows a cyclical, inter- generational pattern. It is linked with illiteracy, (especially female illiteracy), gender discrimination against the girl child, and the lack of safe drinking water and proper sanitation. It is directly linked with poverty, lack of purchasing power, food and nutrition insecurity, ignorance, and ill- health. It creates its own cycle within the larger cycle of poverty.


High levels of malnutrition, particularly among women and children, have directly and indirectly influenced mortality rates in infants, children and women. Although the country has been able to tackle nutritional deficiency syndromes such as pellagra, beriberi, scurvy and so on, chronic energy deficiency among adults, under- nutrition among children and micro-nutrient deficiencies across all sections of the population continue to be a cause of concern.

‘On the steps of nutrition lies the emancipation of the next generation - This is our vision and conviction’...

This was the theme for 2011. It was intended to address malnutrition and to generate awareness to tackle the problem through the existing health care delivery system by formulating strategies, policies and plans of action, thereby improving the nutritional status of the community.

On 2nd Sept, 2011, Nutrition Week was inaugurated at M.V.H Royapuram by the Managing Director, Dr. Vijay Viswanathan. The message of healthy eating habits was conveyed through a variety of programmes such as cooking demonstrations, puppet shows, exhibitions and film/ slide shows.


A COOKERY COMPETITION on “HEALTHY SNACKS’’ was held on the same day for the staff at M.V.H.




Winners of the cookery competition

LET’S ADD COLOUR TO OUR LIFE BY ADDING COLOURS IN OUR DIET...
Samples of VEGETABLE CARVING by members of the Department of Nutrition.


A QUIZ COMPETITION was organized for patients on 3rd September. The theme was “A HEALTHY DIET FOR DIABETES’’


The participants of the Quiz competition



Winners of the quiz competition

A PUPPET SHOW was held exclusively for patients on 5th September. The theme was “SWEET LIFE FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS ’’.



A quiz competition was also conducted for staff members. The theme of the quiz competition was “DIET AND DIABETES”



On 6th September a food court was set up where healthy snacks were sold to patients and members of the staff.
The same evening, Dr Sheba Sangeetha Jeyaraj (M.Sc., M.Phil.,NET,Ph.D), Assistant Professor, Womens’ Christian College was invited to speak on “Nutrigenomics”.





Dr. Vijay Viswanathan, Managing Director addressed the audience. This was followed by the prize distribution.

Our special thanks to the dedicated team of dietitians who organized the Nutrition Week.