National Nutrition Week of India (1st of September till 7th of September)

About National Nutrition Week of India

India observes its National Nutrition Week every year from the 1^st of September till the 7^th of September, and each year there is a new theme. The theme for this year; that is 2017 is, ‘Optimal Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices: Better Child Health.’

The main objective behind the National Nutrition Week is the accentuate the importance of awareness about nutrition, and how deeply it contributes to one’s health and well being, having a direct influence on not just the development, but also productivity, economic growth, and lastly, overall national development.

This year, the Food and Nutrition Board of Ministry of Women and Child Development, with the help of its 43Community Food and Nutrition Extension Units, which are located in around 30 states and Union Territories will collaborate with all the concerned and prominent departments of the states as well Union Territories governments, NGOs, national institutions, etc. and conduct Awareness General Camps, State as well as Union Territories level competitions, community meetings, as well as orientation training of field functionaries, during the entire week (1^st to 7^th September, 2017) that the National Nutrition Week will be observed, highlighting the theme chosen for this year.

Workshops will be held in order to boost the capacity building of all state and district level officers, on the importance of nutrition today for better health and development.

Low-cost nutritious recipes will be demonstrated to all the grassroots level functionaries, such as, those who are school teachers, helpers, Anganwadi workers, women from villages as well as mahila samitis. They will also be educated on weight management for different age groups.

This will be followed by demonstrating the concept of body mass index and having a balanced diet and its importance for boys and girls who are at an adolescent stage of life. Various quizzes too will be conducted based on nutrition, followed by competitions including preparation of nutritious recipes.

Awareness programmes in the form of puppet shows, dance dramas, skits, Audio-Visuals, documentaries, as well as slideshows too will be organized in villages, to focus on how and why the right nutrition needs to be maintained for good health.