Promotion of healthy life style stressed

Islamabad: Experts from home and abroad at an international conference held here on Wednesday at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) underlined the need of promoting healthy life-style, laying greater focus on better food-choice, weight management and daily exercise.

The conference was arranged by the university’s department of Home and Health Sciences to deliberate upon society-related issues, with special reference to United National Sustainable development goals. Its main motto was ‘Go green, get healthy’. The foreign participants were from China, UK and UAE.

Its inaugural session was presided over by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui, while the Director General World Health Organisation Dr. Sania Nishtar was the chief guest. The key-note speeches on the occasion were delivered by environmental expert Dr. Fouzia Qureshi and nutrition expert Dr. Rezzan Khan of Shifa International Hospital. While, chairman department of Home and Health Sciences Dr. Nomana Anjum spoke about the aims and objectives of the two-day conference. About 70 research papers were to be presented during its four working sessions.

The speakers spoke high about importance of conducive environment and better urban planning for promoting a healthy society. They called for proper management and planning in urban development.

The vice chancellor briefed the participants about the AIOU’s research-based activities, stating seventeen research journals were published and thirty-one national and international conferences were arranged during the last three and half years to construct and disseminate knowledge, relevant to the society.