Azlan Othman
The Ministry of Health (MoH) recognises that food outlets are important strategic partners to promote healthy eating in Brunei Darussalam.
One initiative to support this is the Healthy Dining Programme. The programme is implemented by the Health Promotion Centre (HPC), MoH aiming to create a local market environment conducive for supporting healthier eating choices and foster the culture and practice of healthier food choices among food outlet owners, managers and customers.
The programme encourages food outlets to provide healthier food options such as less sugar, less salt or less oil. Participating food outlets must serve at least 25 per cent of healthier choice menu by following HPC guidelines.
Food and beverages are considered as healthier will be labelled with a Healthier Choice Logo on the menu.
At present, 14 food outlets have participated in the programme including Spoonfull Restaurant that joined the cause yesterday. Thirty-five per cent of the menu at the restaurant is considered a healthier option.
Senior Medical Officer at the MoH Dr Siti Rosemawati binti Haji Md Yussof was the guest of honour. Senior officers and officers of the MoH were also present.
The World Health Organization (WHO) in its efforts to promote health and prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) advocates ‘healthy settings’ as a platform in health promotion.
A healthy setting is a place or a social context in which people engage in daily activities where environmental, organisational and personal factors interact to affect health and well-being. One of the recommended healthy settings is food outlets.
