His Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) inaugurated today the 4th Dubai International Nutrition Congress that is taking place at the InterContinental Festival City.
The three-day congress is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and President of the Dubai Health Authority.
Al Qutami said that in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council and in line with the directions of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai , UAE Minister of Finance and President of the Dubai Health Authority, the Authority is working at various levels to enhance health promotion and disease prevention.
He added that the Dubai Health Strategy 2016-2021 pays significant emphasis to public health promotion. “Optimum nutrition is the cornerstone of good health and disease prevention. Nutrition has a profound impact on our growth, development, functional abilities and health. Nutritional knowledge and education for the public and particularly health professionals is critical in disease prevention and in providing patients with comprehensive care and advice. Conferences such as this one provide a platform for experts to discuss the latest trends in the field of nutrition.”
Al Qutami added “The ongoing Dubai Fitness Challenge, reflects the spirit of our city and country. The month-long Dubai Fitness Challenge launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council is an opportunity for the community to adopt a healthier lifestyle and improve their fitness level.”
Dr Waffa Ayesh, Chairperson of the Congress and Director of Clinical Nutrition at the DHA, said: “The importance of nutrition awareness and education is particularly important to prevent further escalation of non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) globally. Additionally, the science of nutrition is ever evolving and such conferences help bring together global experts to discuss emerging trends in nutrition and dietetics. Optimum nutrition is not only needed to prevent lifestyle diseases but also to help ill patients regain their health and recover as soon as possible. Areas such as nutrition for certain critical diseases, nutrition for ICU patients, for brain health and development are important to help us provide holistic care to our patients.”
The congress will discuss current issues related to human nutrition sciences and therapeutic food science.
