A Few Facts from the Global Report on the State of Dietary Data, 2022

 

Based on the Global report on the state of dietary data, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Intake Centre for Dietary Assessment, 2022 a few points are presented for the benefit of readers. We all know that the importance of a healthy diet for good nutrition and overall well-being is the sine qua non. Low-quality foods are associated with malnutrition, micro-nutrient deficiencies, and a range of adverse cardio-metabolic and non-communicable disease outcomes, including hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. It is evident from the Report that poor-quality diets have been identified as a top risk factor for disease globally, with recent analyses by the Global Burden of Disease Project estimating that 10 percent of the world’s attributable disease burden is associated with dietary risks.  It may be mentioned here that the country stories in this section illustrate the ways in which political will was successfully generated for initiating dietary surveys in the given countries (15 Countries) viz.,  Brazil, China, Kenya, Zambia, Niger, Jordan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippine,   Viet Nam, Zambia, and Mexico.

Further, the economic and health burdens associated with poor-quality diets are a worldwide concern, but for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where health systems are generally less accessible and less equipped to respond to complex health outcomes, the long-term impact of these burdens has the potential to be especially devastating. Many of these LMICs are currently grappling with the deepening multiple burdens of malnutrition. It is pertinent to mention here that in the Report Less Developed Countries, or Developing Countries,  such term has not been used but the term is low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which academicians can note down.

A few of the important points for general people about diets are:

a)      It is recommended that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) should provide no more than 3 percent of total energy intake, and applies to all age groups. This is an important point as different types of cool drinks people in general and children, in particular, prefer during summer but I suggest it should be less. And we all know the impact of high sugar ​on the body. In simple language, blood sugar may damage the eyes, kidneys, hearts, and other organs.

b)      Regarding saturated fats as examples few are mentioned here: butter, cheese, ghee, coconut oil and palm oil, cakes, sausages, bacon, cured meats like salami, chorizo​,​ and pancetta, it should provide no more than 10 percent of total energy intake, as excess intake of saturated fat is associated with cardiovascular disease.

c)      It is evident from the publication that at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day should be consumed by a normal adult, for non-communicable disease (NCD) risk reduction, but the threshold was adjusted to 360 grams per day for adolescents, as they consume less food and energy on average than adults.

d)     It is evident from the report that milk potentially improves intakes of calcium, vitamin A and vitamin B12, better than huge saturated foods.

While discussing the dietary habit, a case from Hyderabad, India viz., Pragati Resorts​may be presented.  It was established in 1994 near Hyderabad city which was barren with terrible climate conditions and was unfit for cultivation. The present Chairman and founder Dr. G.B.K Rao selected the land based on three criteria – i) it is away from the city and away from the highway, ii) non-cultivable /barren, and iii) low water level. Now, the area has been turned into heaven and the people call it "Pragati is Heaven on Earth". In the Resorts there are many activities based on nature. One important activity is a provision of ‘Amrutha Ahaaram’ (meaning Amrita/lifesaving foods), and this special 3-day package has been designed to boost immunity levels naturally to fight against any type of virus or bacteria.

Before​ ​conclusion, it may be mentioned from the report that six low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), (Brazil, China, India, Mexico, the Philippines,​and Viet Nam) have institutionalized the implementation of dietary surveys to ensure routine implementation in the country. 

 

A culturally developed State scaling down to uncultured path

 West Bengal/Bengal once upon a time was a culturally advanced State of the country as many great personalities were born and helped to develop the State culturally in many ways. A few names are  -  Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Swami Vivekananda,  Michael Madhusudan Dutt/Michael Madhusudan Dutta, Acharya  Prafulla Chandra Ray, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, and many others. But recently many uncultured events took place in the State and mainly by the goons of the ruling party. A few days ago, Vice-Chancellor of Aliah University,  West Bengal Prof. Muhammad Ali was badly manhandled by a group of students and one of them was a former student leader of the present ruling party of the State. Professor Ali was earlier teaching chemistry at Jadavpur University, a reputed person and thorough gentleman. When I was watching   TV, I was very upset as the way a group of students manhandled V.C. (Prof. Muhammad Ali), used slang words, etc., clearly revealed that these are uncultured students of the University.  

Prior to this, the Calcutta High Court on 3 March 2022 ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teachers in state-run schools through State Level Selection Test (SLST). This issue has been cropped up after allegations of corruption in the recruitment of Group C and Group D employees in secondary and higher secondary schools under the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE)  (https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ . March 7, 2022).

And the most horrific incident took place on 21 March 2022, the massacre that claimed eight lives at Bogtui village in Birbhum district. It is pertinent to mention that, a local ruling party leader was killed by the criminals and in retaliation, many houses were burnt and eight persons were charred to death including women and children (www.hindustantimes.com/28/3/22). 

Many know about the death case of Anis Khan.  Anis Khan, a 27-year-old student, (a former MBA student of Aliah University) was allegedly killed at his home. It is believed that he was killed because his activities irritated some persons of the State ruling party.  “As per The Telegraph, his parents alleged that four men, one in police uniform and the others in mufti, came looking for him. Sometime after they left, Khan was found dead outside the house. The Times of India reported that while one in the police uniform restrained Khan’s father, the three went upstairs where he was sitting (www.firstpost.com/india/24/2/22). Anyway, his father demanded a CBI enquiry as he did not have faith in the local police. After hue and cry in the State, two police personnel — a home- guard and a civic volunteer — were arrested in connection with Anish Khan’s death. The Test Identification Parade was ordered by the Calcutta HC as sought by the SIT. And another case is the murder of Congress Councillor, Tapan Kandu in March 2022 is also unfortunate.

This is very unfortunate and heartrending that almost everyday murder has been taking place in the State where great personalities were born who advocated for peace and peaceful coexistence. We all know that after assembly elections, in the State huge violence took place and as a sequel, many lost their lives, houses were burnt, etc. On the other hand, after recently concluded assembly elections in some of the states, not a single murder had taken place. 

It seems the future of the people of the State is uncertain as too much politics (killings, scams, houses burning etc) has been scaling down the development of the State.