UNDERSCORING the importance of good nutrition to health, the great Greek philosopher Hippocrates once posited, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”
The timeless saying “we are what we eat” holds true, as the food we consume has a profound impact on our overall health and well-being.
Diet, to a very large extent, informs health. The food we eat can either enhance our well-being or be the source of our infirmities.
The importance of good nutrition cannot be overstated. It is the foundation of good health.
And good health is the cornerstone of national development. A healthy population is a productive one, capable of driving economic growth.
When citizens are free from illness and disease, they are better equipped to contribute to their communities and engage in various pursuits that contribute to national development.
Conversely, poor health can have devastating consequences mainly arising from reduced productivity and economic losses arising from increased healthcare costs.
To ensure that our people remain healthy and able to contribute to the economic development of the country, it is, therefore, important that attention is paid to what foods are available to the most vulnerable of our people – those in the lower echelons of our society.
Furthermore, it is crucial that citizens have access to reliable information about healthy foods, enabling them to make informed decisions about their diets.
We agree with public health advocate Sydney Ng’andu’s observation that there should be healthy food programmes to make nutritious options affordable especially for low-income families in Zambia.
As Mr Ng’andu has observed in a write-up, the increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mainly stem from the poor dietary choices.
We believe that there is need for public awareness campaigns focusing on healthy lifestyles.
Mr Ng’andu is also proposing that policy interventions like sugar taxes and smoking bans are exacted to create environments which discourage unhealthy behaviours. We agree.
Introducing legislation such as imposing sugar taxes can encourage manufacturers to reformulate products, reducing added sugars and promoting healthier options.
It’s time for us to take bold action against unhealthy behaviours.
This is why programmes such as the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) are so critical. Providing farmers with the necessary inputs and support inevitably increases food production and improves food security, and makes nutritious food more accessible to all.
Presently, a lot of Government-run programmes are in place to ensure that as many farmers as possible participate in the growing of food and contribute to the national food basket.
We believe that the more people we have involved in agriculture, the more food-secure we are likely to be and the more the healthier options we are likely to have.
We call on citizens to participate in these programmes to ensure food security and more healthy options.
However, Government efforts alone are insufficient. We urge the private sector to complement Government initiatives by supporting programmes like Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and school feeding programmes, thereby helping to bridge the nutritional gap and ensure a healthy, more productive population.
Good nutrition, healthy nation, prosperous future
UNDERSCORING the importance of good nutrition to health, the great Greek philosopher Hippocrates once posited, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”
The timeless saying “we are what we eat” holds true, as the food we consume has a profound impact on our overall health and well-being.
Diet, to a very large extent, informs health. The food we eat can either enhance our well-being or be the source of our infirmities.
The importance of good nutrition cannot be overstated. It is the foundation of good health.
And good health is the cornerstone of national development. A healthy population is a productive one, capable of driving economic growth.
When citizens are free from illness and disease, they are better equipped to contribute to their communities and engage in various pursuits that contribute to national development.
Conversely, poor health can have devastating consequences mainly arising from reduced productivity and economic losses arising from increased healthcare costs.
To ensure that our people remain healthy and able to contribute to the economic development of the country, it is, therefore, important that attention is paid to what foods are available to the most vulnerable of our people – those in the lower echelons of our society.
Furthermore, it is crucial that citizens have access to reliable information about healthy foods, enabling them to make informed decisions about their diets.
We agree with public health advocate Sydney Ng’andu’s observation that there should be healthy food programmes to make nutritious options affordable especially for low-income families in Zambia.
As Mr Ng’andu has observed in a write-up, the increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mainly stem from the poor dietary choices.
We believe that there is need for public awareness campaigns focusing on healthy lifestyles.
Mr Ng’andu is also proposing that policy interventions like sugar taxes and smoking bans are exacted to create environments which discourage unhealthy behaviours. We agree.
Introducing legislation such as imposing sugar taxes can encourage manufacturers to reformulate products, reducing added sugars and promoting healthier options.
It’s time for us to take bold action against unhealthy behaviours.
This is why programmes such as the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) are so critical. Providing farmers with the necessary inputs and support inevitably increases food production and improves food security, and makes nutritious food more accessible to all.
Presently, a lot of Government-run programmes are in place to ensure that as many farmers as possible participate in the growing of food and contribute to the national food basket.
We believe that the more people we have involved in agriculture, the more food-secure we are likely to be and the more the healthier options we are likely to have.
We call on citizens to participate in these programmes to ensure food security and more healthy options.
However, Government efforts alone are insufficient. We urge the private sector to complement Government initiatives by supporting programmes like Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and school feeding programmes, thereby helping to bridge the nutritional gap and ensure a healthy, more productive population.