Only half of the children younger than seven in Moldova eat daily fruit and vegetables. According to nutritionist experts of the Health Ministry, Moldova faces nutritional deficiencies typical of the developing countries. 6% of the children under five suffer from chronic energy deficiency, while the fifth part suffers from anemia. Chief doctor of the Chisinau Public Health Center Luminita Suveica said that these figures are alarming and the growing generation may experience health problems.

The doctor has told IPN that a child younger than seven must eat daily at least one fruit and one vegetable, but the food eaten by the children contains fats, sugar and salt in excess. The children who do not consume fruit and vegetables daily suffer from metabolic disorders, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and even blood pressure. The children who eat fruit and vegetables daily are able to study better.

Luminita Suveica said the problems related to the children’s alimentation appear because the adults do not cultivate the taste for healthy products. “The children must know all the tastes and eat cabbage, broccoli, onion, and carrots even if they do not like them. This is the parents’ responsibility,” she stated.

The experts who worked out the national alimentation and nutrition program for 2014-2020 said the unhealthy eating is one of the four common risk factors of non-transmitted diseases. 87% of the deaths recorded annually in Moldova are caused by non-transmitted diseases. The low consumption of fruit and vegetables leads to the appearance of some types of cancer. Statistics show that one third of the women of fertile age and over 40% of the pregnant women suffer from anemia. One in three children suffers from iodine deficiency, while half of Moldova’s population is overweight.