Nutritional Epidemiologe Worksshop (IBMS) Unicef 08-04-2019

Prof. Dr. Arshad Javaid Vice Chancellor Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar said, adequate nutrition is critical for a healthy life, only with healthy individuals can we build a prosper society. Unfortunately, the nutrition situation of our country reveals that we have a long way to achieve adequate nutrition intake ensuring better health for all. The maternal and child malnutrition statistics show poor nutrition situation in the country, this bring us to the need for a thorough review of our nutrition policy, he was talking as chief guest to the concluding ceremony of three days workshop on Nutritional Epidemiology organized by KMU-ORIC.

Prof. Dr. Arshad Javaid raising some pertinent questions has said, “Is our policy based on some solid scientific evidence? Do we know the major determinants of the various nutritional problems? Do we know what interventions works in our setting and which one work best? And most importantly, can we rely on the statistics out there”? He said, while answering these questions require a strong research base to generate evidence in these key areas. I believe this should be a priority. This is especially important as we know that as a country grappled with economic worries, we are about to witness another “slow motion disaster”, the burden of obesity and non-communicable diseases.

He elaborated that with the complexity of double burden of malnutrition and obesity as well as non-communicable diseases, it is important that we strengthen our nutrition research in local context to understand the extend and determinants of nutritional problems. This will help us formulate effective nutrition policies. In this context, we need to enhance our research capacities. He hoped that this workshop will fully focus on nutritional epidemiology as it is part of the initiative of the department of human nutrition to bolster research in this important area.

Prof. Dr. Arshad Javaid said that breast feeding is one of the most natural, simplest, non-controversial and cost-effective nutrition interventions for child survival and development. However, despite growing evidence and its established benefits, breastfeeding is no more a norm in many communities including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. So, to support the government in its efforts to curb the very high levels of chronic and acute malnutrition and widespread micronutrient deficiencies in this province, the role of academia is of paramount importance. He said, the current initiative KMU to enhance the understanding of nutrition professional regarding the nutrition epidemiology is a step in the right direction and this initiative will definitely support the government in decision making.