National authorities have outlined the key objectives of the nationwide "Demography" project and specified the areas of focus for the Department of Family, Reproduction, and Childhood.

In the Far East, a significant imbalance in the consumption of key micronutrients, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, vitamins A, C, E, D, and B, has been identified. However, steps are being taken to address this issue.

Recently, the national project "Demography" has been making strides in promoting a healthy lifestyle and combating nutritional deficiencies. Deputy Head of Rospotrebnadzor Vyacheslav Smolensky spoke about the project's successes. The project, which focuses on legislative measures, development of laboratory base, promotion of a healthy lifestyle, and work with children, has seen significant progress.

One of the notable achievements is the introduction of iodized salt in school meals. This initiative has resulted in a 3.5% annual decrease in childhood thyroid disease cases and a 1% decrease among adolescents. Furthermore, the annual increase of obesity among schoolchildren has been reversed, with an annual decrease of approximately 2%.

The coverage of hot meals in Far East schools is above the Russian average, reaching 88%. Providing free hot meals to primary school students was a crucial part of the national project "Demography", and the "waste" rate of dishes decreased from 50% to 6%.

Work on menu adjustment and improvement of food quality in Far East schools continues with the participation of Rospotrebnadzor, Ministry of Health, and relevant research institutes. Over the past five years, the number of retail outlets offering products that replenish micronutrient deficiencies in the Far East has increased from 29% to 50% - the highest growth rate in the country.

The incidence of thyroid and gastrointestinal diseases is decreasing, according to Vyacheslav Smolensky. There has been a 3-4% decrease in gastritis cases over the last three years. Irina Yarovaya emphasized the need to reduce prices on Far Eastern products to make healthy food more accessible.

These advancements were discussed at the session titled "Healthy Far East: Nutrition, Environment, Quality of Life" at the Eastern Economic Forum (16+) in Vladivostok. The national project "Demography", implemented from 2018 to 2024, has marked a breakthrough in healthy nutrition and disease prevention in the Far East.

National authorities have outlined the key objectives of the nationwide "Demography" project and specified the areas of focus for the Department of Family, Reproduction, and Childhood.