Daily Times

Lack of proper nutrition has been a developing concern in Pakistan for the past couple of years and the number of children lacking Vitamin A and D is ascending at an astonishingly fast rate.

Vitamins are essential for the human body for better immunity and calcium absorption for bone formation. Ignoring essential vitamins can lead to the body malfunctioning, causing long term issues and health defects.

According to the National Nutrition Survey 2011, it was found that every second 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 restrained if children are given breakfast every morning containing Vitamin A and D which are the foundations of growth for better calcium absorption and immunity.

Fortunately, Blue Band margarine has taken a great initiative in this regard by finding ways to decrease the root cause altogether. Blue Band with their mission #SabSePehleNashta is urging parents to start their child’s day with a healthy breakfast. It promotes its campaign for combating vitamin deficiency on social media with the hashtag #SabSePehleNashta which focuses on the importance of a nutritious breakfast.

The brand aims to spread this message to a million mothers across Pakistan and play its 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, NidaYasir, Faysal Quraishi and many others wholeheartedly supported the mission along with notable nutritionists who showed support towards it.

The brand is helping children across the nation fulfil their daily nutritional requirement as just one serving of it 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 your parathas.

It ought to be our commitment to get the message out and support the brand with their mission of Vitamin A and D deficiency eradication by educating more than 1 million mothers about this issue across Pakistan.

Published in Daily Times, March 17^th 2019.