Food vendors, restaurants owners, and chop bar operators have been urged to halt the practice where salt is placed on dining tables for use by patrons dissatisfied with the taste of the food.

Equally, parents have also been admonished not to encourage that practice at home.

This is considered as a measure to reduce excessive salt intake in a bid to prevent or control the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Dr Wallace Odiko-Ollennu, Programme Manager, Non-Communicable Disease Control Programme of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), made the call at a community engagement organised by Communication Initiatives for Change (CIC)–Meatless Monday Ghana, in collaboration with the leadership of the Muslim community in Ghana.

The engagement was aimed at working with Muslim leaders to co-create a social and behavioural change communication programme to guide the creation and dissemination of healthy eating for healthy living messages based on the principles and practice of the Meatless Monday public health initiative.

The programme seeks to combine faith-based teachings, community values and scientific knowledge to encourage healthier food choices and lifestyles among individuals, families and communities.

Addressing the participants, Dr Odiko-Ollennu said making salt less readily available at the dining table could force people to reduce the amount they consume.

In his view, salty sauces and additional salt should only be provided when requested by customers, rather than being placed automatically on tables.

According to him, the practice could help people to gradually adjust to eating less salt and contribute to healthier eating habits.

Dr Odiko-Ollennu also urged Ghanaians to reduce their consumption of meat, particularly red and processed meat, and increase their intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains.

He said food choices played an important role in the prevention and management of lifestyle-related diseases, stressing that people needed to take greater responsibility for what they consumed.

He further encouraged regular physical activity, saying people did not necessarily need expensive equipment or facilities to remain active.

According to him, walking, active household chores and other forms of regular movement could contribute to healthier living.

Dr Odiko-Ollennu also stressed the importance of regular health screening, particularly for conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, which could remain undetected until they became serious.

He urged faith and community organisations to encourage their members to undergo routine health checks and seek medical attention when necessary.

The Executive Director of CIC, Mr Emmanuel Fiagbey, said the initiative was being developed in response to the growing threat of NCDs and the need to use faith-based platforms to influence healthier behaviours.

He said scientific evidence had shown that eating habits could significantly affect people’s health and that simple changes in diet could reduce the risk of NCDs.

Mr Fiagbey explained that the workshop would identify different audiences within Muslim communities and examine cultural beliefs, values and other barriers that could prevent people from adopting healthy eating practices.

Participants would then work together to develop appropriate health messages, identify suitable communication materials and channels, and mobilise Muslim leaders to disseminate the messages in their communities.

He said the programme would also encourage people to reduce meat consumption and eat more plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.

Mr Fiagbey explained that Meatless Monday did not mean people had to completely stop eating meat, but encouraged them to choose at least one day each week to eat meals without meat.

The initiative is intended to encourage healthier food choices while also promoting greater awareness of the relationship between diet, health and the environment.

The organisers said the collaboration with Muslim leaders was important because religious leaders had strong connections with their communities and could help translate health messages into practices that were culturally and religiously relevant.

They expressed the hope that the programme would empower families, food vendors, mosques and community institutions to promote healthier eating habits and contribute to the prevention of NCDs in Ghana.

By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu