DOHA: Shoppers at several Al Meera outlets will get tips on healthy food, under a new initiative launched by ‘Sahtak Awalan: Your Health First’ campaign.
Sahtak Awalan is the flagship health campaign of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q).
It recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Public Health and Al Meera Consumer Goods Company to launch the ‘Your Healthy Choice’ initiative in four Al Meera supermarkets — Legtaifiya, Gulf Mall, Al Wakra, Thakira — and Géant at Hyatt Plaza.
It has now been officially launched in partnership with the Ministry at Géant Hypermarket.
The five supermarkets initially involved in the project have ‘Your Healthy Choice’ branding throughout the stores and information about health benefits of foods, including fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meat and fish.
The information provided is in accordance with the Ministry’s Qatar Dietary Guidelines.
The aim is to educate shoppers so they can make informed choices about what they eat, and encourage them to prepare healthy, balanced meals. A health educator will be available during weekends to advise customers not only about the healthiest foods to buy and give to their families, but also how best to maintain or lose weight. There will also be booklets on nutritional information and dietary advice.
“It is really important to expand the campaign in the future as it provides healthy eating tips in a clear and simple manner and involves nutritionists who provide reliable healthy eating information.
“I am confident that this campaign will achieve its goals and contribute to spreading healthy choices in the community,” said Dr Saleh bin Ali Al Marri from the Ministry.
“The main goal of the ‘Your Healthy Choice’ campaign is to encourage healthy eating habits in Qatar, and it is part of the Ministry’s efforts to promote healthy lifestyles that lower the risks of chronic non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer,” said Sheikha Dr Al Anoud bint Mohamed Al Thani, Director, Health Protection and Non-communicable Diseases at the Ministry.
Dr Al Anoud stressed the importance of the campaign as it focuses on replacing common bad eating habits with good ones, especially at the start of the fasting month of Ramadan. She said the ‘Your Healthy Choice’ campaign involves using food labels to help shoppers choose a more balanced diet by cutting fats and added salt and sugar. It also encourages them to select high-protein foods such as beans, legumes, fish and meat and consume more fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products.
Shoppers at participating Al Meera supermarkets will get copies of the Qatar Dietary Guidelines released by the Ministry in 2015 to offer insights and guidance for healthy eating, she added.
Nesreen Al Rifai, Chief Communications Officer, WCM-Q, said the campaign would start at five stores but would be rolled out to other Al Meera branches in the future. “Tens of thousands of families shop at Al Meera supermarkets every week and the ‘Your Healthy Choice’ campaign will help guide them in their food choices so that they can serve their families the freshest and most nutritious food available,” she said.
Al Meera said in a statement: “Al Meera is devoting spaces at its branches to display and distribute informational posters to our patrons to help citizens and residents make better decisions regarding healthy and balanced diets. Living up to our motto of being everyone’s ‘Favourite Neighbourhood Retailer’, Al Meera will not hesitate to support any campaigns that aim to achieve food safety, health and welfare in our communities.”
The Peninsula
