The diagram below describes the salient features of the plate.Įndline evaluation of SHIKHA project suggested high acceptability and good perception of food plate (from qualitative findings at endline) and positive impact of nutrition counseling by using food plate for promoting dietary diversity (quantitative findings from surveys). It is aimed to be used for nutrition education with mothers and children. The “Healthy Food Plate,” is a melamine plate with printed images of nutritious food in correct proportion alongside pertinent nutrition messages. THE HEALTHY PLATE AND ITS KEY NUTRITION MESSAGES The tool was widely used by the nutrition workers, community health volunteers and the female beneficiaries.įor instance, a nutrition worker (Pushti Karmi) said that - “The plate helped us in explaining to the pregnant woman and her family members what she should eat, and they can see the food groups and the message and can remember them easily.” This was also echoed by a community health volunteer (Shasta Sebika): “When we ask pregnant women to eat more, they eat more rice, but after the introduction of the food plate we can demonstrate that they should fill half of their plate with rice and remaining half with foods from other varieties.” A pregnant beneficiary expressed: “This is very easy to understand and memorize what should I eat with rice.” SHIKHA project used this plate to counsel pregnant women by the project’s frontline workers. This design of the plate was also approved by the IEC technical Review Committee through IPHN, MoHFW. The various stakeholders are: FHI 360, Institute of Nutrition and Food Sciences (INFS), University of Dhaka Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU), Ministry of Food, Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (BIRDEM), BRAC,, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and European Union (EU) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The feedback from beneficiary women and community health workers from fields were considered and adapted in the final design with the consultation of the experts. The sample of the plates was also field-tested in SHIKHA project areas. It was then verified through a consultative process with experts from Government Organization (GO), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), United Nations (UN) organizations and academia held in Dhaka on September 4, 2014, and June 10, 2015. SHIKHA project reviewed the study ‘Desired Dietary Patterns for Bangladesh’ developed by BIRDEM various researches on nutrition and dietary practices of pregnant women and its own baseline study to conceptualize the food plate, with support from the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU), Ministry of Food (MoFood) and FAO.
FHI360 developed Healthy Food Plate - as a nutrition counselling tool for pregnant women to promote dietary diversity through a healthy and balanced diet. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported SHIKHA project (2013-2016), implemented by FHI360 in Bangladesh. You can use the Nutrition Facts label to monitor calories and nutrients in packaged foods and drinks and more often choose items higher in dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium and lower in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR NUTRITION COUNSELLING IN BANGLADESH Now that you have your MyPlate Plan, aim to meet your MyPlate food group goals for vegetables, fruits, grains, protein foods, and dairy. Use the MyPlate Plan and the Nutrition Facts Label Together Get your MyPlate Plan at (also available in Spanish). It helps you figure out how many calories you need each day and shows you food group targets-what and how much to eat within your calorie allowance. The MyPlate Plan is a personalized food plan based on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level. Find Out How Many Calories You Need and Your Food Group Targets With the MyPlate Plan MyPlate offers recipes, tips for eating healthy on a budget and many other helpful resources. MyPlate offers ideas and tips to help you create an eating style that meets your individual needs and can improve your health. MyPlate is a reminder to find your healthy eating style and build it throughout your lifetime. Create a Healthier Eating Style With MyPlate Added sugars, vitamin D, and potassium are now listed and manufacturers must declare the amount in addition to the percent Daily Value for vitamins and minerals. Daily Values and serving sizes have been updated. What’s New With the Nutrition Facts Label?Ĭalories and serving sizes now appear in a larger font.