Healthy eating campaign

One of the numerous activities organised by the Home Economics teachers at Aguis De Soldanis Girls' Junior Lyceum/secondary school, Gozo, during the scholastic year which has just ended, was a healthy eating campaign.

This campaign was organised to coincide with one of the Parents' Days and was aimed at both the students and their parents. Throughout the three days various displays of local healthy food products were exhibited and healthy food items such as cereals, fruit juices, water, nuts, dried fruit and yoghurts were distributed.

As stated in the booklet Healthy eating for school children, published by the Health Promotion Department (and distributed to all those who visited the exhibition), "the best snacks are those based on breads, cereals, vegetables and fruit and sometimes including dairy products".

The main aim of this activity was to encourage healthy eating and to promote a healthy lifestyle among the younger population and their parents. Students and parents were given the opportunity to taste various healthy food snacks that are high in fibre and low in fat, sugar and salt.

This was emphasised due to the high incidence of coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and high blood cholesterol levels common among the local population. An enlarged model of the healthy food plate showing the portions of the five food groups which should be consumed was the main attraction.

As recommended by the Health Promotion Department, one should select a variety of food from each food group, as shown on the plate.

This would contribute towards a healthy, balanced diet. We should consume a high intake of the 'bread, other cereals and potatoes' group and also from the 'fruit and vegetables' group.

On the other hand, we should consume a moderate amount of 'meat, fish and alternatives' and 'milk and dairy products'. Due to the high amount of sugar, fat and salt that individuals are consuming, food containing fats and sugar should be eaten sparingly.

Home Economics students also prepared charts and took part in investigations, carried out for the occasion, which highlighted the importance of healthy eating. The Health Promotion Unit and OASI distributed leaflets and other interesting related reading material.

Nutritionist Gordon Zammit gave talks to Form 3 and 4 students on diet-related disorders, while a World Marketing representative gave a demonstration on cooking food in a healthy manner.

These activities proved to be very successful due to the effort of various individuals: the head of school, teachers from the Home Economics department as well as other subject teachers who volunteered to help.

Thanks also go to the sponsors who provided the food and materials - Arkadia Food Stores, Cordina Café, Farsons Ltd., Flora Pro-Active, Good Earth, Health Promotion Unit, H2 Only, Malta Dairy Products, Malta Diabetic Association, Magro Brothers Ltd, Nestlè Malta Ltd, OASI, Tal-Hwawar and World Marketing.