Mumbai: Nutrition is the cornerstone of a healthy and strong society and a non-negotiable component of health that needs to be ensured at all costs. To create awareness of the key role that a nutritious diet plays in ensuring overall well-being, the IHW Council has been celebrating a unique week-long initiative Bharat Nutrition Week, instituted in line with prime minister - Shri Narendra Modi’s flagship overarching scheme of holistic nourishment Poshan Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission, NNM)and Bharat Poshan Month,in September every year.

The fourth edition of Bharat Nutrition Week - India’s biggest good food and nutrition awareness national movement, along with its Mission Ambassador–MasterChef Shipra Khanna will amplify the vision of a nutritious and healthy India. The first week of September will witness a flurry of engaging and interactive activities centred around the theme of healthy and nutritious food.

Speaking on the occasion Master Chef Shipra Khanna said, “Good food and healthy eating is a cause that I firmly believe in, initiatives like this can play a pro-active role in making people realize the imperative role that nutrition plays for a healthy body and mind and motivate them to switch towards a healthier lifestyle.”

While The Good Food Show and Healthy Khayega India will engage with social media influencers, top nutritionists and chefs, to promote healthy food practices and recipes among the urban and rural population of the country. Bharat Poshan Premier Quiz, another interesting and much sought-after activity under the aegis of the Bharat Nutrition Weekend supported by Artist For Her, will involve school kids, pan India for the largest virtual nutrition quiz that is sure to raise the adrenaline rush while also imparting relevant knowledge on good food, nutrition, hygiene and inculcating healthy eating practices.

Amidst an escalating burden of non-communicable diseases in the country coupled with a rise in the double form of malnutrition, advocating for good food is the need of the hour. According to the National Family Health Survey 2019-21, around 23 per cent of Indians are obese and thus suffer from a multitude of health disorders because of the condition. Bharat Nutrition Week is a campaign that aims to address these problems through holistic nutrition education and to create mass awareness about the significance of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Discussing the importance of nutrition, IHW Council CEO Kamal Narayan said, “A balanced and nourishing diet forms the foundation of a sound mind, body and soul while ensuring favourable cognitive and physical development. Social health campaigns like the Bharat Nutrition Week, create lasting influence, fostering awareness and meaningful shift towards nutrition by cultivating healthy dietary habits amongst all, echoing the government’s ambitious and timely Rashtriya Poshan Maah’s objective of good food and nutrition for all.”