Experts on Tuesday said that 50 percent of children and women are facing the malnutrition whereas imbalance diet, junk food, lack of physical activities and obesity are adding up the number of patients of different diseases in the country.

Experts on Tuesday said that 50 percent of children and women are facing the malnutrition whereas imbalance diet, junk food, lack of physical activities and obesity are adding up the number of patients of different diseases in the country. They were addressing inaugural session of the training of trainers titled “nutritional awareness of school going children” in which 100 school-teachers are being trained about balanced food for school children. It was arranged by Faculty of Food, Nutrient and Home Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad(UAF) in collaboration with Global Alliances for Improvised Nutrition (GAIN) . Chairing the session, UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar said that it is observed that many school going children come to the school without the breakfast. This tendency needs to be curtailed for a healthy society. He said that there is a need to create the awareness about balanced usage of food. He said that simplicity in the food habits would help improve the situation. He said that junk food had become common in people which is not good for health. He said that vitamin D deficiency at high with 60 percent; vitamin A 45 percent whereas Maternal anaemia deficiency stands at 49 and child stunting level 43 percent. He said that we should put focus of our children on the homemade dishes that are full of the energy. Dean Faculty of Food Sciences Dr Masood Sadiq Butt said that malnutrition has emerged the biggest problem than energy crisis. He called for food fortification as an effective tools to combat the situation by saying that the people should diversify their food to fight the situation. He said that the country was losing three percent of Gross Domestic Product due to malnutrition compared which is biggest than energy crisis. National Institute of Food Sciences and Technology Director General Dr Tahir Zahoor talking about the ironic and vitamins deficiencies, said in iron deficiency (anaemia) and vitamin A deficiency remains widespread, however, iodine deficiency rate had reduced during the last decade in the country . He attributed the malnutrition to illiteracy, prices issue, junk food, and lack of awareness about nutrient values of intake. Dr Kamran Sharif said that nutrition was the area of knowledge regarding role of dietary inputs in maintenance of health. He said that the food must consists of four groups in a routine diet including dairy group, meat group, fruit and vegetable group and grain group. He said that we must contains food is from each group in appropriate proportions for adequate nourishment of body. Assistant Prof Dr Benish Israr said school teachers must perform the duty the duties of creating awareness among the masses about the healthy eating habits, encourage nutrient rich. She said that food group requirement for school meals include fruits, vegetable, grains, meat s and meat alternative. Dr Imran Pasha said that healthy food was essential for the mental and physcial growth of the students. He urged the teachers to educate the students about the balances usage of diet and to adopt the physical activities in their daily lives . Lecturer Dr Binish Sarwar Khan said parents must take care of their kids about the healthy food habits. She said that sue to imbalance usage of diet, the malnutrition was increasing rapidly in the society. She said that people must check their Body Mass Index(BMI) . she said that if the BMI is less than 18.50, it mean your under weight. BMI of 18.50 to 24.99 is the healthy weight, BMI 25 to 30 overweight and more than 30 obese.