Step up campaign on healthy diet

One of the founders of the CNMI Food and Nutrition Council yesterday advised Council members to continue their task of providing information and increasing awareness of the people on the importance of maintaining a healthy diet.

In a special meeting with the CNMI Food and Nutrition Council Mozhdeh Bruss said: “We owe the community information. They have a choice. It’s a serious matter. The people who already have diabetes and heart disease were probably never told several years ago that they could have controlled it or even prevented it, and now they’re on dialysis and dying.”

Ms. Bruss worked as a health and nutrition advisor for over three years before leaving the CNMI for Michigan where she now teaches post-graduate students. Some of her recent researches were presented to the Council. Members are non-medical lay people whose goal is to bring about a healthier CNMI.

Ms. Bruss compared health statistics of the Pacific to the US, France, undeveloped and developing countries. “Our residents eat more food than people in poor or low income countries and developed countries,” she said. Fifty-three percent of the daily food intake consists of carbohydrates (mainly rice and cereals), 34 percent comes from fat (mostly oils and sugars), and 13 percent comes from protein (animal fat).

“How are you going to give power to the people of the CNMI and give them the knowledge and information they need in order to take control of their lives and live a long, healthy life?” Ms. Bruss asked Council members.

The Council works with six subcommittees dedicated to Food Security (the amount of food grown or imported on island), Food Security (whether there is enough food, informing consumers about outdated foods, how to read labels, and labels in one of the three official CNMI languages), Community Nutrition and Physical Activity Subcommittee, Council Sustainability, Media Strategy, and Food and Nutrition Monitoring.

In her lecture, Ms. Bruss said that “cultures” always move in order to survive. Contrary to popular belief, the habits and population is not stagnant. “What changes do you want or not want in order to assure survival of the culture?” Ms. Bruss asked the members.

She likened the residents to people on a ride through a big ocean wave, moving fast, not knowing where the water will take them. “This Council could be the surfboard that helps guide people through a safe ride,” she explained.

Ms. Bruss presented charts that indicated the evolution of food and diets. She said that humanity was based on food production. People settled near water in order to grow food. Wars originated over food and famine. Then, cultures were influenced by other cultures– the Spanish, (who introduced religion, language, and foods such as empanadas), the Pacific islanders, (who brought turkey tails and root vegetables), the Europeans, (who introduced honey, bread and beer), the Far East Asians, (who gave the CNMI noodles, sushi) the North Americans, (who introduced canned goods, fast food), and the most recent group– the South East Asians (who brought soy products).

“They key is physical activity. We began as a agricultural based society. We moved from the field into office work. That’s why we’re seeing diseases of “affluence (wealth),” Ms. Bruss said.

When she moved to Saipan more than four years ago, Ms. Bruss helped a corps group of about five women bring the World Health Organization to Saipan to form the CNMI Food and Nutrition Council.

Today, the CNMI Council is among only 26 nations of over 105 that developed a national plan for nutrition. In addition to the Council’s six subcommittees, it also developed two “off-shoot groups”– SNAPP or School-based Nutrition and Physical Activity Partnership and the First Ladies Vision, which is sponsoring this Saturday’s health symposium.