3 days Ago
Aiming to raise public awareness about nutrition, the Nutrition Summit 2025 was held for the first time in Bangladesh on 31 January and 1 February at the Shaheed Abu Sayeed International Conference Centre, Shahbagh, Dhaka. The two-day event was inaugurated by National Professor AK Azad Khan, President of BADAS and Chief Advisor of the Summit. Nearly 1,000 participants, including renowned nutritionists, dietitians, academic experts, representatives from national and international food and nutrition organisations, and safe food producers, joined the summit.
Across eight scientific sessions, 24 distinguished speakers presented 25 topics. Additionally, open sessions were held for the general public, where leading nutritionists discussed 12 topics, correcting common misconceptions and educating attendees on how nutrition can prevent disease. Interactive sessions included demonstrations on healthy cooking, and more than 500 attendees received personalised diet plans from clinical nutritionists.
In his inaugural remarks, Chief Coordinator Dr Md Fazlarabbi Khan explained the rationale behind the summit. He highlighted the alarming rates of malnutrition among mothers and children in Bangladesh. Citing the Global Hunger Index, he noted that 24% of Bangladeshi children under five are stunted, and 11% are wasted.
"We have limited understanding of nutrition. Most people don't know what to eat, what to avoid, or how much energy they need daily based on their weight and height," he said. He emphasised the need for a collective effort to address this gap and called for the creation of a knowledge-sharing platform involving all stakeholders.
Professor AK Azad Khan remarked that malnutrition now encompasses both undernutrition and overnutrition, with rising rates of overweight and obesity, compounded by micronutrient deficiencies. He called for the accreditation of nutrition professionals and suggested forming a separate council for nutrition if required. Notable attendees at the inaugural session included M Saifuddin Ahmed, Secretary General of BADAS; Md Saidul Arefin, Director of INFS, University of Dhaka; Dr Zeba Mahmud, Country Manager at Alive & Thrive, FHI 360; Shamsun Naher Mohua, Chief Nutrition Officer at BIRDEM; Dr Nazma Shaheen, Professor at INFS, University of Dhaka; and Prof Dr Zahid Hasan, Registrar at BUHS.
The session was chaired by Safina Rahman. On the second day, a roundtable titled "Empowering All to Build a Healthy Nation" brought together stakeholders to recommend ways forward. Participants included National Prof AK Azad Khan, Dr Mushtuq Husain, Dr Md Iqbal Hossain, Dr Abu Jamil Faisel, Prof Syeda Saliha Sultana, and representatives from FHI 360, Nutrition International, BIRDEM, and the National Press Club.
Following a lengthy discussion, the summit produced ten key recommendations, including: 1. Integration of nutrition into the national health system. 2.
Nationwide awareness campaigns on diet and disease. 3. Curriculum reform for nutrition education.
4. Accreditation and regulation of nutrition professionals. 5.
Structured career paths for nutritionists. 6. Inclusion of age-appropriate nutrition content in school curricula and healthy school meals.
7. Creation of nutritionist posts in hospitals nationwide. 8.
Development of a national nutrition data repository. 9. Mandatory display of nutritional information in food outlets.
10. Establishment of a national nutrition surveillance agency. The summit concluded with a strong call for collaboration, innovation, and policy reform to address Bangladesh's evolving nutritional challenges.
Aiming to raise public awareness about nutrition, the Nutrition Summit 2025 was held for the first time in Bangladesh on 31 January and 1 February at the Shaheed Abu Sayeed International Conference Centre, Shahbagh, Dhaka. The two-day event was inaugurated by National Professor AK Azad Khan, President of BADAS and Chief Advisor of the Summit. Nearly 1,000 participants, including renowned nutritionists, dietitians, academic experts, representatives from national and international food and nutrition organisations, and safe food producers, joined the summit.
Across eight scientific sessions, 24 distinguished speakers presented 25 topics. Additionally, open sessions were held for the general public, where leading nutritionists discussed 12 topics, correcting common misconceptions and educating attendees on how nutrition can prevent disease. Interactive sessions included demonstrations on healthy cooking, and more than 500 attendees received personalised diet plans from clinical nutritionists.
In his inaugural remarks, Chief Coordinator Dr Md Fazlarabbi Khan explained the rationale behind the summit. He highlighted the alarming rates of malnutrition among mothers and children in Bangladesh. Citing the Global Hunger Index, he noted that 24% of Bangladeshi children under five are stunted, and 11% are wasted.
"We have limited understanding of nutrition. Most people don't know what to eat, what to avoid, or how much energy they need daily based on their weight and height," he said. He emphasised the need for a collective effort to address this gap and called for the creation of a knowledge-sharing platform involving all stakeholders.
Professor AK Azad Khan remarked that malnutrition now encompasses both undernutrition and overnutrition, with rising rates of overweight and obesity, compounded by micronutrient deficiencies. He called for the accreditation of nutrition professionals and suggested forming a separate council for nutrition if required. Notable attendees at the inaugural session included M Saifuddin Ahmed, Secretary General of BADAS; Md Saidul Arefin, Director of INFS, University of Dhaka; Dr Zeba Mahmud, Country Manager at Alive & Thrive, FHI 360; Shamsun Naher Mohua, Chief Nutrition Officer at BIRDEM; Dr Nazma Shaheen, Professor at INFS, University of Dhaka; and Prof Dr Zahid Hasan, Registrar at BUHS.
The session was chaired by Safina Rahman. On the second day, a roundtable titled "Empowering All to Build a Healthy Nation" brought together stakeholders to recommend ways forward. Participants included National Prof AK Azad Khan, Dr Mushtuq Husain, Dr Md Iqbal Hossain, Dr Abu Jamil Faisel, Prof Syeda Saliha Sultana, and representatives from FHI 360, Nutrition International, BIRDEM, and the National Press Club.
Following a lengthy discussion, the summit produced ten key recommendations, including: 1. Integration of nutrition into the national health system. 2.
Nationwide awareness campaigns on diet and disease. 3. Curriculum reform for nutrition education.
4. Accreditation and regulation of nutrition professionals. 5.
Structured career paths for nutritionists. 6. Inclusion of age-appropriate nutrition content in school curricula and healthy school meals.
7. Creation of nutritionist posts in hospitals nationwide. 8.
Development of a national nutrition data repository. 9. Mandatory display of nutritional information in food outlets.
10. Establishment of a national nutrition surveillance agency. The summit concluded with a strong call for collaboration, innovation, and policy reform to address Bangladesh's evolving nutritional challenges.
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