Question 4:What do you understand by the term food-based strategy? Enlist any two food-based strategies you may adopt to tackle public nutrition problems.
The correct answer is -Food-based strategy refers to an approach that aims to improve public nutrition by promoting access to a healthy and balanced diet. This approach focuses on the consumption of nutrient-dense foods, rather than relying on the consumption of supplements or fortified foods.
Two food-based strategies that can be adopted to tackle public nutrition problems are:
-
Promotion of local food systems: This strategy involves promoting the consumption of locally grown and produced foods, which are often fresher, more nutritious, and more affordable than imported foods. This can be done by supporting local farmers and producers, establishing farmers’ markets, and educating the public about the benefits of consuming local foods.
-
Fortification of staple foods: This strategy involves adding nutrients to commonly consumed staple foods, such as flour, salt, or oil, to improve their nutritional value. For example, adding iron to flour or iodine to salt can help address deficiencies in these nutrients in the population. Fortification can be done on a large scale, such as by mandating fortification of staple foods by the government, or on a smaller scale, such as by encouraging food manufacturers to voluntarily fortify their products.
