IMA’s safe and healthy food campaign receiving overwhelming response

KOZHIKODE: The state-wide campaign launched by the Kerala branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on safe and healthy food habits has been receiving an overwhelming response from the public. The campaign was launched in April 2015 in the wake of alarming increase in the number of lifestyle disorders in the state. The guidelines on safe and healthy food were prepared after holding numerous workshops and in consultation with the experts in the field. 

On an average, 40,000 cancer cases are reported annually in the state. The guidelines give a detailed description about the required food items from the birth till the end of the life span of a person and stresses the need to exclude pesticide-free food items and junk food for a healthy body which is free from illness. 

A random screening conducted by the health department among 4.34 lakh people above 30 years at in Kozhikode found that 15.75% people suffer from hypertension and 12% from diabetes. It also detected 0.33% cardiovascular diseases and 0.02% cancer cases in the district. 

P G Pradeep Kumar, vice president IMA state branch, said that children get affected by the consumption of unsafe food. "The food and water borne diseases such as hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, leptospirosis and helminthic were due to consumption of unsafe food and water. Consumption of fat and junk food results in fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, hypertension, cancer, urolithiasis, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, gall bladder stones,'' he said. "Inclusion of balanced food such as pesticide-free green vegetables, locally available seasonal fruits and cooked grains such as rice, wheat, ragi and enough pulses or meat or fish and diary products like curd or yoghurt on daily menu will provide enough nutrition supplements required for the growth. Exclusion of junk food help to keep the lifestyle disorders at bay,'' he said. 

Meanwhile, Dr A K Abdul Khader, chairman IMA committee on food policy and safety said that the campaign has been receiving overwhelming response as many school canteens in the state have already replaced the junk food with traditional food items which is a positive sign. "We have been conducting school-level presentations and received good response from the state food safety officials,'' he said.