Doha: The Human Nutrition Department at the College of Health Sciences, member of the QU-Health at Qatar University, recently organised two campaigns at the Global International School on increasing fruits and vegetables consumption and decreasing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB).
Nutritional health during childhood and adolescence stage is important for supporting growth and preventing future health problems. Eating behavior during this age affects later life growth and disease prevention. Today, children are subject to an imbalance of nutrients. They consume fats, sugars and salt in excess while the intake of vitamins and minerals is compromised. It might affect their brain development, learning, immunity and infection’s risk. Given the high prevalence of childhood obesity in Qatar, it is essential to provide a balanced diet from an early age.
Including fruits and vegetables daily in child’s meal is part of the Qatar Dietary Guidelines as fruits and vegetables are important components of a nutritious diet. Its consumption is linked to improved health and reduced risk of various chronic diseases as well as improving school performance and productivity.
A diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers. Majority of children do not meet recommendations and have a low consumption of fruits and vegetables, which may lead to poor health, constipation and increased risk of obesity and diseases.
Third year students of Human Nutrition shared educational videos, fun games and activities to learn about the benefits of fruits and vegetables with the preschoolers. To encourage the kids consuming fruits and vegetables, they enjoyed tasting a variety of vegetables and fruits with several dips and shapes, with attractive colours.
Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages can increase as well the risk of several diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Speakers introduced the adolescents to the different types of SSB and its associated health risks. Students learnt how to detect the amount of sugar in the nutrition label and enjoyed matching the amount of sugar to the correct SSB product. Speakers also shared some strategies to substitute SSB with healthier options.
