Dubai Health Authority launches workshop to train teachers in public schools about healthy nutrition

This is part of the ongoing programme known as 'Ajyal Salima' which means healthy kids.

As part of this two-year programme, which was launched in the last quarter of 2012, the DHA and its partners are carrying out educational programmes for students and academicians in 29 government schools in Dubai.

The first phase on this programme involves reaching out to 10 schools. Several awareness initiatives for children in grade 4 and 5 across these ten schools were conducted through road shows and educational programmes.

The next step involves holding workshops known as 'train the trainers' for academicians in these schools, which is being conducted in cooperation with experts from American University of Beirut.(AUB) DHA and its partners recently held the first workshop in this regard.

Once the academicians are trained, they will integrate this programme within their classrooms and educate children about healthy eating and nutrition.

Laila Al Jassmi, CEO of Health Policy and Strategy at the DHA, said, "In line with the directives of His Excellency Engineer Essa Al Maidoor, Director-General of the DHA and as per the Dubai Health Strategy 2011-2013, improving health of the population of Dubai through behavioural change is an important goal. Focussing on important groups such as children and academicians is essential because children spend several hours of their day in school and thus schools are a place where they can inculcate healthy habits that they will carry on into adulthood."

Ghanim Lootah, Acting Director of Institutional Marketing and Communications at the DHA, said, "The DHA has collaborated with several key stakeholders in this regard to ensure we can provide a detailed programme for children and academicians. This programme is a long-term programme that reaches out to 29 public schools over a period of two years."

Dr Fathia Hatim Ibrahim Mohamed, Head of Health Promotion Section at the DHA, said, "The aim of educating academicians is to ensure that once they are trained they will ingrate this programme in their classrooms. In order to ensure that students imbibe healthy eating habits in their day-to-day life, it is essential to not only educate students but also educate academicians so that they in-turn will ensure that students follow what they have learnt. School health is of vital important to ensure that our future generations lead a healthy life and the DHA pays significant importance to the aspect of school health through various policies and awareness campaigns. This initiative, in particular, highlights the cooperation between different government entities and the private sector to achieve the common goal of enhancing the health of school students through targeted and sustained awareness initiatives."

Carla Habib Murad, Expert Nutritionist with American University of Beirut and responsible for implementation of 'Ajyal Salima' initiative in Lebanon, said, "The programme encourages kids not only to know more about nutrition and physical activity, but also to change their habits positively. The programme encourages intake of a balanced and varied diet; encourages children to consume five or more fruits and vegetables per day; educates them on the importance of a eating a healthy breakfast as well as highlights the need to limit consumption of fast-foods which are laden with fat and sugar."

The programme also emphasizes the importance regular physical activity and the need to reduce time children spend watching television and sitting in front of computers so that they can better utilize their time doing outdoor sports. The programme also involves communication with parents and supporting school canteens to provide kids with healthier options.

Karine Antoniades Turk, responsible for Nestlé Healthy Kids global programme the Middle-East, said, "This academic initiative aims at raising awareness and knowledge about nutrition and physical activity among children aged 9 to 11 years through interactive learning sessions. In the Middle-East, nutrition and health scientists from the American University of Beirut have developed the content of the initiative to ensure it addresses our regional nutritional habits and requirements."

Ahmad Abdul Rahman, Head of Health and PE Unit and Project Manager of Princess Haya Initiative for the Development of Health, Physical Education and School Sports said, "Educating children on the difference between healthy and unhealthy food at a young age is very important to ensure they understand the direct link between food and health."

The programme directly reaches out to students, teachers, principles and assistants and indirectly reaches out to parents, school canteens and caretakers.

The Nestlé Healthy Kids global programme was launched worldwide in 2009; today it is implemented in 60 countries all over the world in cooperation with governmental authorities, academic institutions and various organizations. To date, 6 million children have benefitted from this initiative.