SPS Apollo Hospitals Ludhiana celebrates World Nutrition Day

Ludhiana, November 7, 2013: As part of the World Nutrition Day Celebrations SPS Apollo Hospitals Ludhiana - leading healthcare services provider of the region, conducted a Health Mela-and Exhibition displaying various nutritious foods. The Exhibition was inaugurated by Dr. Subhashani Verma, Former Professor and Head of the Department, Food and Nutrition college of Home Sciences, Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana . Also present on the occasion were Jugdiep Singh, MD, SPS Apollo Hospitals - and Kanika Goyal- Senior Clinical Nutritionist, Department of Dietetics, SPS Apollo Hospitals, Ludhiana. The Exhibition had stalls displaying health products like skimmed milk, soya snacks, probiotic foods, protein powders and other foods for weight management. The Dieticians at the Exhibition provided free consultation to the people present regarding their diet needs, busting many myths about healthy eating.

As part of the World NutritionDay , the hospital organised a special session on ‘non-conventional food and drug interactions ’ taken up by Dr. Shivani Tandon- Senior Cinical Pharmacologist, SPS Apollo Hospitals, Ludhiana. This session was attended by more than 100 people including doctors, physicians and general public. Speaking on the growing epidemic of food borne illnesses Dr. Muktanjali Arya added, “Diahorrea has engulfed the urban Indian population. It has reached epidemic proportions in India in the 21st century, with  affecting 5% of the country's population.”

On the occasion, Kanika Goyal, Assistant Manager- Dietician, Department of Dietitics, SPS Apollo Hospitals, said, “With urbanization, the country is becoming richer and the citizens are becoming obese simply due to bad lifestyles and seeking medical help for weight reduction. Statistics show that the country is on the verge of becoming a nation with more than half of its population being obese or suffering from weight related illnesses and diseases.”

Raised Body Mass Index (BMI) is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis - a highly disabling degenerative disease of the joints) and even some cancers. Considering the significance of keeping a tap on the rising BMI of the urban population, the hospital offered free BMI check-up and diet assessment to all present at the Exhibition.

Goyal further added, “Processed food contains a huge percentage of Trans fat, sugars, and other unhealthy ingredients that may cause chronic diseases and severe illnesses. The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended because of an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat, and physical inactivity. Foods of different colors have different nutritional values. The more colorful your food, the more nutritious it is.”

According to Jugdiep Singh MD SPS Apollo Hospital, “Most diseases today are lifestyle oriented and can be prevented to a great extent by amending our eating and exercising habits. Obesity is a global nutritional concern. The prevalence of obesity has been rising in Punjab. Data reveals that 37.5 percent women in Punjab are obese. Considering this burgeoning rise of obesity in the state, we decided to celebrate the World Nutrition Day at SPS Apollo Hospital Ludhiana.  As part of this special day, our team of expert dieticians educated the residents of the City about the nutritional components of various foods and the significance of exercising in order to avoid obesity and related disorders. With this initiative, we aim to spread awareness about healthy eating habits so that people can live a happier, longer and healthier life.”