January 25th 2023
Ministry of Health hosts health fair at annual Fun Run
by Ministry of Health
THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH IS PREPARING FOR A NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN ON READING FOOD LABELS.
The Dental and Nutrition Units within the Ministry of Health, Wellness Elderly Affairs seized the opportunity to educate students on dental hygiene and the reading of labels, during the District Two annual Fun Run/Walk which took place on January 23, 2023.
More than five schools participated in the event this year which culminated at the Camille Henry Memorial School, where information booths were set up by the Dental Unit. Enthusiastic students from the various participating schools gathered and listened attentively to the presentations on nutrition and dental health. This latest activity comes ahead of the proposed ban on highly-sweetened beverages in schools.
Francillia Joseph, Nutritionist at the Ministry of Health, said:
“With the drive to eliminate the number of sugary drinks consumed at schools, we want to highlight the types of foods and drinks that are being consumed on a daily basis. Studies have shown that most times consuming sugary drinks and sugary foods lead to obesity. So we want the children along with their parents to be aware of how they can calculate the amount of sugars that are in the drinks they are consuming on a daily basis.”
The Ministry of Health is preparing for a nationwide campaign aimed at educating the populace on label reading.
“The children have been surprised at the amount of sugars that are in the drinks that they consume, especially the box juices. We allowed them to read the labels for the amount of sugars and we divided it by four to calculate the number of table spoons of sugar contained," Ms. Joseph explained.
The Dental Hygiene Unit presented on the theme “Stop the Acid Attack”.
Cheryl St. Cyr, Dental Hygienist at the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, said:
“Everybody has plaque and bacteria in their mouths, but whenever you eat a chemical reaction happenes and acid is formed. That acid lasts for 20 minutes; it’s on your teeth and starts the decay process. We want our children to make better, healthier choices so everything we have is tailored just for that.”
The Dental Unit is urging parents to encourage their children to make healthier choices.
"We want to continue programmes such as this and capitalize on them so that our children are educated on how to inculcate healthier oral and physical habits,” Ms. St. Cyr said.
The Fun Run/Walk culminated with healthy foods and more physical activity put on by local fitness instructors and a student dance group.
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