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How labels help ward off health troubles

ABU DHABI — Ongoing improvement in the labelling and packaging of groceries has helped ease the often-daunting process of personal diet management, according to a leading official at Abu Dhabi’s Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC).

“Self regulation by food production companies and the deployment by local governments of nationwide controls have meant that the consumers’ ability to determine just what goes onto the food table has never been so straightforward,” said ICLDC’s Dr Maha Taysir Barakat, consultant endocrinologist and medical and research director at the Centre.

She stressed that diet plays an important role in the general well-being, particularly for those living with diabetes and confirmed that by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, not only can diabetes be managed, but it is possible to help prevent its onset, if predisposition is recognised early.

Recent figures suggest that one out of five people in the UAE aged between 20 and 79 already live with diabetes. “If you are living with diabetes, your diet is an important part of your treatment plan,” she said.

“Today’s ever-stringent food labelling guidelines mean that you can determine what you are eating — and what to avoid — by carefully reading the labels. Reading and understanding food labels can help you make the best dietary choices.”

During the holy month of Ramadan, ICLDC has joined hands with Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi, to host live cooking demonstrations (from 9.30pm to 10.30pm). More that 10,000 people are expected to watch one or more of the shows, dubbed ‘I cook healthily’.

‘I cook healthily’ is the second stage of ICLDC’s multi-pronged public health awareness campaign, ‘Diabetes. Knowledge. Action’, in partnership with Emirates Foundation. Salim, executive chef with Abu Dhabi National Hotels, is set to make nightly performances, cooking up more than 60 recipes (two a night) at a bespoke IKEA kitchen especially constructed in Marina Mall’s exhibition concourse. Dr Barakat endorsed the cooking show concept and approved each of the 60 recipes. The recipes are now available for download on www.diabetesuae.ae

She also said that the ingredient list informs people of the ingredients that are used in the packaged food and they are shown in descending order according to their weight. The first ingredient makes up the largest quantity of food items. One must be beware of the foods where fat, margarine, cream, oil or sugar feature the top few ingredients, she warned.