Ludhiana, September 7
The Dietetics Department of Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) organised an exhibition on diets related to different health ailments like obesity, diabetes, heart and renal diseases on the concluding day of “Nutrition Week” here today.
Dr John Pramod, acting Director of the CMCH, inaugurated the exhibition at the Out Patient Department. Visitors were apprised of the value of balanced diet and nutrition.
A variety of cooked and raw food was displayed at the exhibition. Dieticians assessed the body mass index and provided dietary counselling to patients.
Dr Molly Joshi, chief dietician of the CMCH, said diet played an important role both in healthy condition and sickness.
Good diet was necessary not just for ensuring normal growth, development and maintenance, but also for the promotion of resistance to diseases and immunity.
“Nutritious diet is important for the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases and cancer, for retardation of ageing, ensuring mental well-being, and for protection against environmental toxins.”
Dr Joshi remarked that although there was widespread poverty in the country, pockets of affluence were also emerging.
In such a scenario, the country was facing the double burden of undernutrition due to poverty and dietary excesses attributable to unrestrained affluence.
Emphasising the need for a balanced and nutritious diet as per requirement of the body, she said a special watch had to be maintained on vulnerable groups of the society like children, pregnant and lactating mothers, who suffered from various deficiency diseases such as Vitamin A, iodine, protein, energy and iron.
Through proper guidance and education, a lot could be gained to ensure better health for these groups. On the other hand, over-indulgence in food and lack of exercise led to problems like obesity and several related disorders.
Dr Joshi said the department was striving to generate awareness about nutrition and proper diet among people through exhibitions, talks on healthy food, street plays, diet counselling and diet camps.
“Through such activities, we try to reach out to people in a bid to apprise them of basic facts about good dietary habits and diet related disorders,” she added.
