THE Food Policy Division of the Ministry of Health will be observing Nutrition Awareness Week from tomorrow to July 27.

It is an observance to focus attention on the importance of making healthy food choices and developing sound physical activity habits.
Observed annually in July since 1995, it is a timely intervention for reducing and preventing both under-nutrition and over-nutrition in children and adults.
Each year, the theme is based on an aspect of nutrition which is of national concern and, for 2013, it will be ‘Healthy Eating and Active Living: Promoting Healthy Lifestyles’.
Over the past few years, a number of organisations have joined the Health Ministry in promoting  healthy lifestyles, which also help to keep and improve people’s well-being, by preventing chronic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart ailments and cancer, which can contribute to premature death.
The ministry said a healthy lifestyle can be attained by achieving and maintaining a healthy diet and regular physical activity as well as getting regular medical check-ups.

HEALTH WALK
To commence Nutrition Week, there will be a health walk tomorrow, starting at 06:00 hrs from the Bank of Guyana and continuing through Church and Camp Streets to the Seawall Bandstand, in Georgetown.
Persons from various ministries, international,  non-profit and faith-based organisations, and members of the general public are expected to participate in the march.
Other activities for the week include healthy workplace programmes at the Health Ministry  Headquarters on Tuesday, July 23, from 10:00 hrs to 16:00 hrs and Grace Kennedy Remittance Services Headquarters on Friday, July 26, from 10:00 hrs 15:00 hrs.
A health fair will be staged in the city on Thursday, July  25, along Main Street Avenue, between Church and Quamina Streets from 10:00 hrs to 16:00 hrs.
A walk-a-ton against childhood obesity, in collaboration with the A.M.E Zion Church, takes place on Saturday, July 27, in the National Park, the ministry announced.