Monday, May 02, 2016

Dubai: In a novel step, the Ministry of Health and Prevention on Monday launched the ‘[Healthy Restaurant Initiative’ to encourage restaurants to include at least two healthy options in the adult menu and a complete healthy list of food choices for children as part of its strategy to promote a healthy lifestyle in the community.

This month, the ministry will launch a countrywide campaign via radio, Twitter and other online platforms to promote these restaurants. So far, seven restaurants have signed up for the initiative. They include outlets such as Salt, Mum Mum, Gossip cafe, Parkers, Yoghurt, and Switch, among others. All the participating outlets will display a green healthy option logo created by the ministry.

This idea is a product of intensive brainstorming carried out at a ministerial retreat that the Ministry of Health and Prevention organised in November 2015.

Dr Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for health centres and clinics sectors, said that eating out was no longer a rare treat as people were dining at restaurants almost every day. “The alarming rate of obesity, particularly among children, and the rising incidence of lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension had prompted the ministry to take this step to educate restaurant owners and help people make smart choices.”

Defining what a healthy meal entailed, Dr Fadila Sharif, director of Health Education and Promotion at the ministry that is responsible for directing this initiative, said: “Such a meal needs to be high in nutritional value, portion controlled, low on sodium and fat and low in calories.”

The nutrient analysis of saturated fat, sodium, calories, etc, will be shown as icons next to the printed dish on the menu.

Incetivising the project

Why would any restaurant agree to participate? The ministry has thrown in attractive incentives for the partners. For example, the owner, chef and staff of participating outlets will get a free consultation on nutrition by the ministry’s dieticians who will help them draw up the healthy menu and will provide them free workshops. Further, the list of participating restaurants will be published on the ministry’s website and in an advertising campaign that the ministry plans to start later this month, providing complimentary promotion of these outlets on radio and social media.

Apart from training chefs and staff, the ministry also plans to put in place a follow-up mechanism to ensure continuous commitment of participating outlets, said Nouf Khamis Al Ali, head of health education and promotion department. “We are making sure that the restaurants’ prices of the healthy menu is at a par with the rest of the menu so that people are encouraged to make a learned and smart choice.”

Dr Ashhraf Nazmi, dietician at the department of health and education, added that although there had been plans to tax unhealhty food stuff such as sugar and margarine, that was not something they were looking at now. “Nowhere in the world are food items in a restaurant taxed for being unhealthy. But we think if the government eventually taxes margarine or sugar or saturated fat containing oil then these outlets will automatically switch to using healthier ingredients.”

Those restaurants that wish to participate can call the ministry’s toll-free number 800 11111 and speak to representative of the health education and promotion department. “Very soon we will put up a web page within the ministry’s web site, www.moh.gov.ae, that will provide online application facility to any restaurant wishing to participate,” Al Ali said.

Mum Mum

Mum Mum, a healthy fast food restaurant in Sharjah, has signed up for the initiative. “Our restaurant offers baked and grilled burgers, our sauces and dips are home-made, we have nut-free food options and we use plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in our recipes to make sure our dishes are specially crafted to ensure the nutritional needs of growing children,” said Snezana Vrtanoska, the in-house certified holistic nutritionist for the restaurant.

Lisa Frost, the catering manager, said that their restaurant, which was not limiting itself to a couple of healthy dishes but had an entire menu of preservative free, healthy, non-fried food, was happy to be part of the initiative. “We constantly craft, tweak and play with our recipes to keep it nutritionally balanced and still high on taste for our clients, especially children.”

By Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary Senior Reporter

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