11 Dec 2017

Solomons' push for children's education on healthy foods

1:19 pm on 11 December 2017

The Solomon Islands Chief Nutrition Officer Salome Namohunu is pushing for better nutrition education in schools.

Bowl of salad

Photo: 123RF

World Health Organisation figures show one third of children in Solomon Islands are stunted due to chronic malnutrition and almost half of under five year olds are anaemic.

Ms Namohunu said children needed to learn about the effects of skipping meals and eating processed foods rather than fresh local produce.

"We believe that good nutrition at early age will give you a better health in adulthood and also like eating pattern behaviours develops at school age, so it is an important period that we need to educate them how to choose healthy food, so that when they become adults, they can make informed decisions on what type of food and how they can live healthy," said Salome Namohunu.

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