Dubai Health Authority holds nutritional awareness workshop

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, August 30, 2015: The Dubai Health Authority’s clinical nutritional department recently held a nutritional awareness workshop for employees of Roads and Transport Authority(RTA).

The training program was carried out under the initiative of distinguished government employee in nutrition.

From education and awareness about food labels to the importance of three nutritionally balanced meals in a day various health topics were covered.

Dr Wafa Ayesh, Director of Clinical Nutrition at the Dubai Health Authority, said: “The aim of this workshop is to empower employees by educating them about nutrition and how they can take care of their health while they are at office and on the go.”

Ayesh said the employee wellness workshop covered various aspects of nutrition and employees were taught about the correct portion size, how to read food labels and how to understand hidden sources of unhealthy fats and sugar. She said:“ Understanding the right portion size and the fact that we should eat three meals along with three small snacks in between to keep our energy levels up through the day and to avoid binging is a key principle of healthy eating. Additionally, people need to be aware of how to read food labels. Sometimes, it is hard to identify ingredients that we should reduce in our diet, such as saturated and trans fats, sodium, added sugars and cholesterol and, therefore, it is important to understand the commonly used names of these ingredients in food labels. Avoiding these ingredients is particularly important for diabetics, those who are obese, hypertensive people or those with other chronic health conditions.”

Ayesh added that the workshops also covered topics such as the importance of breakfast, eating right on the run, healthy lunch options, healthy cooking techniques, incorporating fitness into one’s daily routine, dealing with stress and work-life balance.