Tell buyers nutrition facts, food firms urged
Monday, March 19, 2007
THE Ministry of Health wants food manufacturers to provide consumers with adequate and understandable product and nutrition information on product labels.
This is to help consumers make informed and healthy choices on food products that they consume in line with the Government's drive to encourage Bruneians to lead healthy lives, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Suyoi Osman, Minister of Health, said at the opening ceremony of the 5th National Perinatal Symposium at Universiti Brunei Darussalam.
He did not state whether the ministry was considering formulating a policy to strictly enforce proper labelling of food products the way it is done in Western countries.
The minister said that due to the challenge of improving diet and promoting physical activity among Bruneians, efforts need to be made requiring support from parties outside the health sector.
"Success will require stepping outside the traditional boundaries of the health sector and working very closely with agriculture, transports, urban planners, and every one involved in the food supply chain," he said.
Health promotion efforts need to be multisectoral in approach and to mobilise the combined energy, resources and expertise of all national, regional and even global stakeholders essential in sustaining the progress of the campaign.
The health ministry hopes to work with companies to develop national standards on nutrient thresholds and long-, medium- and short-term targets.
Due to the increased level of health consciousness among consumers there is a need to have reliable food labels, he added.
Companies were also asked to practise responsible marketing by limiting the promotion and marketing of foods high in saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, free sugars and salt.
The 5th National Perinatal Symposium themed 'Nutrition for Life' is a product of a joint effort between the Ministry of Health and Universiti Brunei Darussalam.
Two invited speakers delivered talks during the symposium. Terence Stephenson, a professor of child health and dean of the Faculty of Medicine Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham, talked about the impact of perinatal nutrition on foetal growth and future health, while Zalam Abdul Razak, the principal assistant director (of nutrition) from the Nutrition Section of the Family Health Development Division at the Ministry of Health Malaysia presented a talk on the new World Health Organisation growth standards.
Alongside the overseas speakers were two local speakers, Hjh Masni Hj Ibrahim, the head of Community Nutrition Services Division from the Ministry of Health, and Dr Onn Fei Wen, senior medical officer at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital.
Two workshops on problem solving were held.
The first workshop was mainly to encourage breast feeding in Brunei whilst the second was on addressing ways of improving clinical child surveillance in the sultanate.
The Brunei Times
This is to help consumers make informed and healthy choices on food products that they consume in line with the Government's drive to encourage Bruneians to lead healthy lives, Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Suyoi Osman, Minister of Health, said at the opening ceremony of the 5th National Perinatal Symposium at Universiti Brunei Darussalam.
He did not state whether the ministry was considering formulating a policy to strictly enforce proper labelling of food products the way it is done in Western countries.
The minister said that due to the challenge of improving diet and promoting physical activity among Bruneians, efforts need to be made requiring support from parties outside the health sector.
"Success will require stepping outside the traditional boundaries of the health sector and working very closely with agriculture, transports, urban planners, and every one involved in the food supply chain," he said.
Health promotion efforts need to be multisectoral in approach and to mobilise the combined energy, resources and expertise of all national, regional and even global stakeholders essential in sustaining the progress of the campaign.
The health ministry hopes to work with companies to develop national standards on nutrient thresholds and long-, medium- and short-term targets.
Due to the increased level of health consciousness among consumers there is a need to have reliable food labels, he added.
Companies were also asked to practise responsible marketing by limiting the promotion and marketing of foods high in saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, free sugars and salt.
The 5th National Perinatal Symposium themed 'Nutrition for Life' is a product of a joint effort between the Ministry of Health and Universiti Brunei Darussalam.
Two invited speakers delivered talks during the symposium. Terence Stephenson, a professor of child health and dean of the Faculty of Medicine Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham, talked about the impact of perinatal nutrition on foetal growth and future health, while Zalam Abdul Razak, the principal assistant director (of nutrition) from the Nutrition Section of the Family Health Development Division at the Ministry of Health Malaysia presented a talk on the new World Health Organisation growth standards.
Alongside the overseas speakers were two local speakers, Hjh Masni Hj Ibrahim, the head of Community Nutrition Services Division from the Ministry of Health, and Dr Onn Fei Wen, senior medical officer at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital.
Two workshops on problem solving were held.
The first workshop was mainly to encourage breast feeding in Brunei whilst the second was on addressing ways of improving clinical child surveillance in the sultanate.
The Brunei Times
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