A seminar on the health risks of ultra-processed foods and ways to identify them was held at Azimpur Government Girls’ School and College in the capital on Monday.
Food and Nutrition Facts (FNF) organized the awareness seminar to educate students about the potential health risks associated with regular consumption of ultra-processed foods and promote healthier eating habits.
Speaking at the seminar, FNF Chief Executive Officer Md Rakibul Islam said ultra-processed foods are becoming increasingly common in people’s daily diets amid changing lifestyles. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to consuming such foods regularly without being fully aware of their potential long-term health consequences, he said.
He also urged the female students to remain conscious of the health risks associated with unhealthy dietary habits, including the potential risk factors related to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
The head teacher of the institution said the consumption of packaged and processed foods among students, particularly as part of their daily tiffin, has increased in recent years.
Awareness programmes such as this can help students make more informed choices about what they eat, she said.
The seminar was facilitated by FNF Research Associate Md Ibrahim Al Riyad, a student at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Dhaka, with assistance from Mst Taifa Akter, a student of the Home Economics Department at Begum Badrunnesa Government Women’s College.
As part of the programme, FNF’s Research Unit also collected information from students for its ongoing research project titled “Ultra-processed Food Consumption and Physical Activity as Risk Factors for Overweight among School-going Adolescents in Bangladesh.”
FNF research associates said the initiative would help students understand the potential health effects of ultra-processed foods and identify such products by checking food labels, ingredient lists and other information provided on packaging.
The head teacher thanked FNF for organising the programme and expressed hope that similar awareness initiatives would continue in the future.
