Mediterranean diet to put children back on track

THE EATING habits of each population and each generation are directly responsible for the frequency of various illnesses and consecutively for the high or low rates of mortality, House President Marios Garoyian said yesterday.

He was addressing an event organised yesterday at the House of Representatives under the title “Mediterranean Diet – Returning to Tradition”.

The programme was realised with the collaboration of the Ministries of Health and Education, and has been taking place over the last five years in various schools across Cyprus. It aims at presenting children with the basic principles of the Mediterranean diet and at the same time the correct and healthy way to eat.

Garoyian said, “Such programmes contribute greatly to the objective for a better quality of life. The quality of our food ensures the quality of our health and increases our quality of life.”

Garoyian said that in the early sixties, the World Health Organisation (WHO) started a big research project, aimed at studying the eating habits of people from seven countries (Greece, Italy Yugoslavia, The Netherlands, Finland, USA and Japan). The research lasted 30 years and approximately 13,000 people aged 40 to 59 participated. The results showed that the people that lived in the Mediterranean countries, mainly in Greece, showed the lowest rates of mortality from cancer and coronary illness and had the highest average life expectancy.

According to the scientists, the reasons for this was the specific way of life of the Mediterranean, that is to say the work in the countryside and the increased physical activity, but also the simple and frugal diet, which since then became known as “Mediterranean diet”.

The children made speeches, dressed up in chicken costumes and presented colourful sketches that caught the attention of passing deputies, the press and other guests. The ceremony was followed by a healthy Mediterranean lunch prepared in the canteen of the House with the menu set by the Health Ministry.

The menu consisted of potato salad, black-eyed beans, fish, broccoli and other salads and a selection of wines. The children made the potato salad and other salads.

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