Barbadians Encouraged To Eat Healthily & Move More

Barbadians are being encouraged to produce and use more wholesome local foods. This plea has come from Acting Nutrition Officer at the National Nutrition Centre, Glencill Taylor, as the island observes Nutrition Month.

“These may include foods like corn or breadfruit, served in traditional ways or otherwise used creatively. The nutrition department also highlights the value of fruits and vegetables in the daily diet, and stresses their health protective benefits in the current fight against non-communicable diseases,” Mrs. Taylor stated.

This year’s theme, “Fuelling Wellness, Preserving Culture”, seeks to highlight the importance of maintaining cultural norms that promote health and wellness, with special emphasis on lifestyle choices related to diet and physical activity.

“Overall, consumption of a variety of nutritious foods from the Caribbean Foods Groups is encouraged daily, to ensure access to a wide variety of nutrients, and other protective properties found in food. It is also important that we all embrace movement as our foreparents have done, and find ways to move regularly throughout the day,” the Acting Nutrition Officer emphasised, as she urged Barbadians to value “the health promoting components of our culture”.

During the month, professionals across Barbados will take part in initiatives to create awareness about the role that good nutrition and healthy lifestyles play in optimising health and wellbeing. (PR/GIS)