Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 21: Dr Rekha Harish, Prof & Head Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College Jammu delivered theme guest oration on “junk food targeted at children” in National Conference at Infant and Young Child Feeding at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Union Minister of State for Chemicals, Fertilizers and Pharmaceuticals Hansraj Ahir, Director AIIMS, Deputy Commissioner for Child Health, UNICEF & Ministry of Health & Family Welfare representatives and 400 delegates from all over the country participated in the conference.
Her oration on the theme of conference “Promote Nature; Dumpy the Junk” received a wide appreciation and tremendous response. She has previously also brought laurels to the State when she was nominated the National Convener Indian Academy of Pediatrics Task Force for prevention of childhood obesity and lifestyle disorders.
Noticing her commitment, she was later nominated expert to the Expert Working Group in the PIL filed by Uday Pai Foundation in Delhi High Court regarding banning the junk food in and 500 meters around the schools where Dr Sunita Narain, Director Centre for Science & Environment was the Chairperson. Later, when Dr Sunita met with an accident, Dr Rekha Harish was nominated as Chairperson of the Group which included Professors of Pediatrics from AIIMS, LNJP Hospital and NIN Hyderabad. The report which was submitted to the court has met with a successful outcome in March 2015 to implement the same.
After the presentation, she was invited to contribute to the guidelines on behalf of the Task Force to provide documents and suggestions for schools and colleges all over the country. The main recommendations included regular yearly health check ups and BMI plotting in schools; one hour of daily physical activity in schools; banning of availability of junk food in and at least 250 metres around schools and application of a National School Canteen Policy by Food Categorisation on the pattern of traffic light Concept.
She has also designed, devised and executed the healthy lifestyle workshops for schools and pediatricians at national level. Dr Rekha Harish wants to spread mass awareness regarding learning the principles of healthy lifestyle since early childhood which is the only permanent and cost effective method to prevent a myriad of non communicable diseases and their co-morbidities which are reducing human longevity. She has requested the J&K Government to ban the availability of junk food in and 250 metres around school canteens.
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