National Nutrition Week – 01.09.2022 to 07.09.2022 - Celebrate a World of Flavor – KVK, Wyra

In India, the first week of September is celebrated as National Nutrition Week to create awareness among the general public on value of healthy eating practices, proper nutrition for upholding a healthy lifestyle along with taking adequate and timely measures to eradicate hunger and malnourishment. It is celebrated every year from September 1st to 7th. The theme for this year is 'Celebrate a World of Flavours' to encourage people for living a healthy lifestyle while enjoying the flavours of food. People with healthy eating patterns live longer and lower the risk of serious health problems that include heart diseases, type 2 diabetes and obesity. For people with chronic diseases, healthy eating can help manage these conditions and prevent complications. The three keys to optimal nutrition are balance, quality, and timing. To maintain balance, eat from all or most of the food groups. Eating the right amount for carrying out daily activities, feel satisfied and energized. The benefits of healthy eating help to live longer with health skin, teeth and eyes. It supports the body muscles, boosts immunity, strengthens bones, lowers risk of lifestyle diseases, supports healthy pregnancies and breastfeeding along with normal functioning of digestive system. The tips for healthy eating include to choose good carbohydrates and not simple sugar that provide empty calories, pay attention to the protein package, choose foods with healthy fats, limit foods with high saturated fats and avoid trans fats, dietary fiber rich diet with whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Kitchen gardens provide vegetables at no cost when grown in the backyards or farm bunds thereby reducing the daily food cost and also protect the environment. Fruits and vegetables grown at homes play an important role in filling the gap in nutritional needs by providing access to food that is harvested, prepared and consumed by family members. The gravity of malnutrition can be reduced as there will be a regular supply of all-essential vitamins and minerals through home grown vegetables. Millets are climate-resilient crops adapting to wide range of ecological conditions requiring less irrigation with better growth and productivity in low nutrient input conditions depending minimal on artificial fertilizers and vulnerability to environmental stresses. There is need to revive the importance of millet groups as health foods to enhance food and nutritional security. Millets contain high amounts of proteins, fibre, B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamine and riboflavin, essential sulphur-containing amino acids like methionine, lecithin and little of vitamin E. They are rich in minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium also. In this connection, KVK, Wyra along with Dr. J. Hemantha Kumar, Programme Coordinator, scientists Dr. Jessie Suneetha W, Dr. V. Chaitanya, Dr. K. Ravi Kumar, Mrs. P. S. M. Phanisri, Dr. D. Nagaraju and Mr. D. Srinivas along with RAWEP students from Agricultural College, Aswaraopet conducted training programmes on importance of kitchen garden for nutritional health, rallies with school children for creating awareness on nutritious diet for boosted immunity and quiz competition at various places during the week-long celebrations.