ANNEX 3. COMMON BEHAVIOURS AND CONDITIONS RELATED TO HEALTHY EATING

Behaviours:

¨ Eating behaviours which enhance health and learning abilities and reduce malnutrition (7):

- Eating a variety of mostly cereal foods/breads, vegetables and fruit

- Choosing whole grain foods and fresh produce

- Eating foods containing important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin C, Iron, Iodine

- Using sugar, fat and salt in moderation

- Choosing a low-fat diet

- Drinking adequate amounts of safe water for health and thirst-quenching

- Exclusively breast-feeding infants up to four to six months of age (40)

¨ Eating behaviours which enhance physical, social and mental health:

- Enjoying regular meals

- Eating with family and friends to reaffirm social ties (39)

- Balancing food intake with physical activities for fitness and weight management

- Eating in moderation

- Breast-feeding of infants

¨ Food safety behaviours which help avoid food-borne infections (24):

- Washing hands and food thoroughly and keeping table surfaces and cooking utensils clean

- Cooking food thoroughly and eating cooked foods immediately

- Storing and reheating left-over cooked foods thoroughly

- Protecting foods from insects, rodents or other animals

- Using safe water

- Breast-feeding of infants

Conditions:

¨ Conditions which enhance safe and healthy eating:

- Availability of safe water and waste disposal
- Access to low-cost healthy food
- Social support for healthy eating