Daily Times

Nutritional deficiency has been a growing concern in Pakistan for the past few years and the number of people deficient in Vitamin A and D is rising at an alarming rate. Vitamins are essential for the human body for better health and a longer life. Ignoring essential vitamins can lead to body malfunctioning, causing long term issues and health defects.

According to the National Nutrition Survey 2011, it was found that every second, a child under the age of five in Pakistan is Vitamin A deficient and two out of five children in our country are Vitamin D deficient. This leads to delay in growth, lack of calcium in bones and loss of immunity.

This problem can be curbed if children are given breakfast every morning containing Vitamin A and D which are the foundations of growth for better calcium absorption and immunity.

Only but recently, Blue Band margarine took a great initiative in this regard by finding ways to decrease the root cause altogether. With their mission #SabSePehleNashta, they urged parents to start their children’s day with a healthy breakfast. They promoted this campaign for combating vitamin deficiency on social media with the hashtag #SabSePehleNashta which focuses on the importance of a nutritious breakfast. They aim to spread this message to a million mothers across Pakistan and play their part in reducing the rising numbers. Moreover, school visits are a part of this campaign to create awareness amongst students and advise them to give importance to breakfast before coming to school for maximum efficiency. Several renowned Pakistani television personalities such as Sidra Khan, Sanam Jung, Nida Yasir, Faysal Quraishi and many others wholeheartedly supported this mission along with notable nutritionists who showed support towards this.

It’s helping children across the nation fulfil their daily nutritional requirement as just one serving contains 24 percent of Vitamin A and 30 percent of Vitamin D of Recommended Daily Allowance. Additionally, it tastes good with everything whether it is used as spread on a slice of bread, perfect nutritious fix to fry an egg or a flavour enhancer for parathas.

Published in Daily Times, March 8^th 2019.