FL Fazna calls for good role models in promoting healthy lifestyles

First Lady Fazna Ahmed has called on the public as well as government to collaborate on promoting nutrition and healthy lifestyles within the community.

She said this while speaking at the opening of the 'Roundtable consultation on nutrition and healthy lifestyle' at Meerumaa Hall on Monday.

Taking the podium at the event, FL Fazna stated that collective efforts to promote nutrition and healthy lifestyles among the people were crucial to put words into action.

Shedding light on her prior experiences in the education sector, FL Fazna highlighted three initiatives undertaken by Thaajudheen School to promote healthy lifestyles at the school, including a weekly exercise program aimed at the entire school, a four-year program called the ‘Milk and Exercise Program' held for a selected group of students, and a programme encouraging the students to make healthy dietary choices.

Adding that the programme encouraging the students to make healthy dietary choices is still ongoing at the school, the first lady stated that it is expected that students will continue a healthy lifestyle after graduating.

FL Fazna noted that one must prioritize mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being in addition to maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Quoting UNICEF Resident Representative Dr. Edward Addai, the first lady urged all to do at least one thing to look after their health, because if every individual does one thing, it will have a cumulative effect in the entire world.

In collaboration with the Maldives Food and Drug Authority, the Ministry of Education, the National Health Protection Agency, and non-governmental organizations, the round table was coordinated by UNICEF.

Revolving around addressing overweight and obesity among children, adolescents and women, this was the second nutrition national round table consultation.

The discussions revolved around purposes of identifying and discussing trends, patterns, levels and drivers of malnutrition, introducing Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles flagship “Kaigen Hingamaa” which translates as “let’s walk after a meal”, and establishing a collective impact platform to mobilize champions for nutrition.