Ghana Health Service urges sports associations to work with nutritionists

The Ghana Health Services (GHS) has called on sports associations to work with nutritionists to boost the performance of their athletes.

Mrs. Wilhelmina Okwabi, the GHS Deputy Director in-charge of Nutrition, said the services of nutritionists were pivotal to sports development – keeping athletes in perfect shape and physical condition.

By their training, they are well disposed to properly recommend and educate sportsmen and women on the right foods to eat and what to drink as they go into competitions.

Mrs. Okwabi was addressing a day’s collaborative workshop on nutrition organized in Kumasi by the GHS, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance (FANTA), World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Programme (WFP), and other development partners under theme “Build the future. Invest in nutrition now.”

It provided the platform to take them through the “2011 Ghana Nutrition PROFILES Results”.

“PROFILES” is a tool that consists of a set of models reflecting current scientific nutrition knowledge, and is designed to estimate consequences of under-nutrition in the nation’s development process.

Mrs. Okwabi said nutrition remained critical in grassroots sports development and drew attention to the need for the Ghana Education Service (GES) to make it an integral part of schools sports programmes. This was the way to go to aid student athletes to develop strong bones and the appropriate physique.

Source: GNA