The Ministry of Health (MOH), represented by the Nutrition Department of the Directorate General of Primary Health Care, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Al Jisr Charitable Foundation, organized today (Sunday) training on the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors (KAB) survey of the Omani society regarding nutrition.

The training workshop was held at the InterCity Hotel under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Saeed Harib Al Lamki, MOH’s Undersecretary for Health Affairs, with the presence of H.E. Dr. Jean Jabour, WHO Representative to the Sultanate of Oman, along with a number of Governorates’ Directors General and PHC directors.

The survey aimed at measuring the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of the Omani society on healthy nutrition and the consumption of salt, sugar and fat in food in the age group (14-60) years, the extent to which social and demographic factors are related to nutritional knowledge, attitudes and practices, in addition to identifying sources of nutritional information and the means adopted to change dietary behaviors.

The survey is the first of its kind on governorates level to assess the knowledge and skill of the local community towards general healthy eating pattern, dietary salt, fat and sugar, which were found to be high.

Identifying gaps in overall knowledge and evaluating consumer attitudes towards certain food behaviors will allow prioritization of food education in the Sultanate of Oman. The results of this survey will be used to develop health programs aiming at improving the nutrition and diet of the Omani society.

In this regard, the WHO Representative to the Sultanate of Oman pointed out that this survey will provide the necessary data about knowledge, attitudes and nutritional behaviors among the Omani population and its association with the social and demographic factors, as well as its impact on increasing the rates of non-communicable diseases in Oman.

Dr. Jabour added that, like many other countries in the region, Oman suffers from high mortality and morbidity rates caused by non-communicable diseases. In which, 83% of mortality in Oman is related to these diseases.

The WHO Representative to the Sultanate of Oman praised the leading role of the Ministry of Health in cooperation with all related authorities, government, civil institutions, and the private sector in developing policies and plans and implementing them. He also praised the National Nutrition Strategy 2020 – 2030, which included a road map for the interventions designated to achieve the desired goals.