Berea, March. 06- As March marks National Nutrition Awareness Month, the District Home Economics Officer in the Department of Nutrition under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, Mrs ’Malehloenya Mphanya has urged the public to adopt balanced diets to improve health and prevent diseases.
In an interview with the Agency, Mrs. Mphanya said proper nutrition is essential for everyone, particularly toddlers, as they require more nutrients to support their growth and development. She explained that consuming a balanced diet helps the body to fight diseases and maintain good health.
Mrs. Mphanya further encouraged people to eat foods of different colours, noting that they contain various minerals that are important for the body.
She also emphasised the importance of drinking adequate amounts of water daily.
With regard to food production, she encouraged households to grow different types of vegetables and diversify both food production and consumption in order to improve nutrition. “For a healthy diet, people should eat at least five food groups per day, including fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods and dairy,” she said. She warned that the consumption of processed foods, fizzy drinks and noodles should be reduced as they are low in roughage.
Mrs. Mphanya said lack of roughage in the diet may lead to health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cancer and high blood pressure.
She also encouraged households to consider poultry farming, particularly chicken production, alongside vegetable gardening to help improve household nutrition.
Ends MTM/BM
