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840m people go without food every day

ABU DHABI - About 840 million human beings on the earth remain chronically hungry every day - 799 million of them in developing conutries,

Dr Hajir Al Houssani, Director of the Central Maternal and Child Care Department (MCD) at the Ministry of Health, said in a statement.

The statement was issued to mark the World Food Day (WFD), which is observed every year on October 16 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in commemoration of its founding on that day in 1945.

Dr Houssani stressed on the importance of implementing the recommendations issued at the 'World Food Summit' held in 1996 and 2002 where world leaders from more than 100 countries agreed to fight hunger, poverty and disease, to cut by half the number of the world's chronically hungry and under-nourished people by 2015.

This year's WFD theme is "International Alliance against Hunger" to serve as a call for further action and adopt the concept of a global partnership and make it a reality, with a view to guaranteeing the world's citizens the basic human right-to be free from hunger.

It also meant to bring together the strengths of different groups to gain greater power to achieve a common goal.

The formation of such an alliance envisions all partners working in concert, from food producers and consumers to international organisations from private firms, scientists and academics to individuals, religious groups and non-governmental organisations. It also includes donors and policy-makers from both rich and poor countries.

Dr Houssani said the MCD had been conducting research and awareness programmes about healthy nutrition, diseases related to improper nutrition like diabetes and cardiovascular, and encouraging healthy lifestyles and good nutritional practices in the society.

She said the UAE under the wise directives of the President, His Highness Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has been devising policies that focus on achieving food security for the UAE citizens.

"It has been a big challenge to turn this desert into a green oasis and agricultural lands. The efforts by the UAE leadership has resulted in surplus food production in the country," she said.

She added the UAE has been extening help to countries hit by wars and natural disasters, regardless of religious, ethnic or cultural differences.

She said based on his belief that education is an effective weapon in fighting poverty, Shaikh Zayed has made sure that many schools, universities and educational institutions were established in several countries around the world, a matter that "had its clear impact in raising the living standard of people in these countries and reducing the level of poverty," she said.

Dr Houssani also underlined that according to recent findings, enhancing women's chances to get education and empowering them to participate in various walks of life greatly help in improving their nutritional status and reducing mortality rate among infants.

Khaleej Times met some residents of the capital to know their opinion about healthy diet.

Hassan Mahmoud Abdul Rahim, a 55-year-old employee at the Private Department of Shaikh Zayed who used to be a army captain, said: "People should increase their knowledge about healthy nutrition to protect themselves against diseases related to eating practices. Unhealthy nutrition caused me a coronary heart disease, which compelled me to leave my occupation as an army pilot and confine myself to a sedentary job".

Yousif Hussein, a 35-year-old security guard, criticised the media for promoting unhealthy fast food.

"TV advertisements promote junk and unhealthy food as having high nutritional value. People should stick to a healthy diet."