Srinagar: Government Medical College Srinagar in collaboration with AIIMS Reshikesh conducted national webinar on cardiovascular diseases and Front of Package Food (FOPL) as part of series of national initiative of ‘Healthy Food for All’ involving institutions of national repute, public health experts, clinicians, policy makers and implementors, a country wide program with Dr. Pradeep Agarwal, associate professor Community and Family Medicine, AIIMS Reshikesh as Principal Investigator.
The webinar was inaugurated by Prof. Samia Rashid, Principal and Dean Government Medical College Srinagar who was the guest of honour on the occasion. She emphasised the role of FOPL in times when more and more consumers are taking foods high in fat, salt and sugar and extol the policy makers to bring the required policy in bringing label changes to bring about necessary behavioural and life style changes in consumption of packaged foods.
Dr. S. Muhammad Salim Khan, professor and head, Community Medicine department, government Medical College Srinagar and organising secretary of the webinar presented the global and national scenario or cardiovascular diseases which nowadays cause around 30% deaths globally and nationally, and the risk factors for CVDs due to dietary factors.
He expressed concerned about incremental
shifting from conventional home made foods to ready to eat (RTE), processed and packaged foods which are high in caloric values packed with salt, sugars and fats.
He presented a short videos showing ignorance of consumers about package labelling.
A detailed power point presentation was made by Dr. Khalid Mohiuddin Mir, HOD Cardiology, GMC Srinagar about scenario of cardiovascular diseases, it’s etiology and role of processed and ultra processed foods, Nova foods, which is turning into epidemic of life style diseases including cardiovascular diseases, obesity etc.
Dr. Rubeena Shaheen, a public health specialist and formerly executive director at Food safety and standards authority of India (FSSAI) made an elaborate PPT presentation on regulatory framework on labelling to promote healthy diets, elaborated on guiding principles for FOPL systems, types of FOPL systems, international regulations for labelling. She explained role of FSSAI in implementing FOPL regulations in the country. The question & answer session was moderated by Dr. Sudip Battacharya from HIMS Dehradun.
