The Macau Health Bureau (SSM) hosted a press conference yesterday urging residents to eat a balanced diet during Chinese New Year (CNY) gatherings.
The presser was held at the bureau’s conference hall in a building adjacent to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre (CHSCJ).
Yesterday’s press conference was attended by the bureau’s Tap Seac Health Centre dietician Lam Ieok Hang, Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) dietician Ip Ka Kei, and CHSCJ internist Lei Chong Iok.
Lam said that residents should heed the “Chinese Food Guide Plate”* (中國居民平衡膳食餐盤) for meal planning. According to Lam, each meal should include at least “over half a bowl” of vegetables. The portion for meat, fish, eggs, or legumes should be limited to “the size of one palm.” The staple food, consisting of whole grains or mixed grains, should be around “over half a bowl” per meal.
Before or after the meal, a fruit portion “the size of a fist” can be consumed to increase satiety. She advised residents to eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and reduce the intake of high-fat, high-salt, and high-sugar festive foods such as traditional cakes sweets and “poon choi,”** Lam said.
Lei pointed out that the global average daily salt intake among adults exceeds the recommended limit of five grammes by approximately twofold. High sodium consumption is a major contributor to hypertension and damage to the heart, brain, and kidneys, Lei said.
Lei recommended to follow the principle of “eating until 80 percent full” to control portion sizes and maintain a slow eating pace. Lei suggested residents eat vegetables first, followed by protein, and finally carbohydrates. He urged residents to avoid consecutive meals of rich, heavy foods, and to “reduce salt, sugar, and oil while increasing vegetable intake.” Lei also said that patients with chronic conditions are particularly reminded to consistently monitor their blood pressure and blood glucose levels daily and to take medications on time.
Ip also said that in order to promote its health messages, the bureau will collaborate with community organisations to set up “Healthy Community Pop-up Stations” along five routes in Macau tomorrow afternoon. Interactive games will be used to convey information on healthy eating during the Chinese New Year – also known as Spring Festival – to residents.
The Chinese New Year this year falls on February 17, when the Year of the Horse begins.
* The Chinese Food Guide Plate developed by the Chinese Nutrition Society is a visual representation designed to help individuals make informed dietary choices based on traditional Chinese dietary culture. – Poe
**Poon choi (“vegetable pot”) is a traditional Chinese communal dish, particularly associated with southern China. It consists of many layers of luxury ingredients – such as abalone, seafood, pork, duck, and mushrooms – arranged in a large basin or pot and served in layers. It is typically enjoyed during festivals and family gatherings such as during the Spring Festival. - DeepSeek
Health Bureau (SSM) Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre (CHSCJ) internist Lei Chong Iok (centre), SSM Tap Seac Health Centre dietician Lam Ieok Hang (left) and SSM’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) dietician Ip Ka Kei look on during yesterday’s press conference at the bureau’s conference hall in a building adjacent to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre. – Photo: Armindo Neves
