Foro Global sobre Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (Foro FSN)

FAO NUTRITION AND FOOD SYSTEMS: e-CONSULTATION ON AN ISSUE NOTE OF HLPE STEERING COMMITTEE.

Manuel Moya. International Pediatric Association, Spain

From the point of view of malnutrition occurrence in low- and middle-income counties (LMIC), there is a coexistence of underweight and overweight that greatly affects children and adolescents. In general, if underweight population is decreasing the overweight is increasing at a higher rate. One of the best possibilities for prevention of adult obesity and its comorbidities is starting this at early ages, because once the obesity is established the possibilities of reversing it are poor. Therefore the appropriateness of the NUTRITION AND FOOD SYSTEM is clear. Prior to comment on the given ten issues it is necessary to say that the actions in cities are different than those of much more complicated rural areas.

1 How and why do diets… In early ages bogus science is promoting formulas decreasing breastfeeding. In later ages   promotion of sugar sweetened beverages, palatable dense caloric foods, pre-prepared food is cornering local plant food.

2. What are the links …Once the palatable and easy to eat food is incorporated in the (obesogenic) diet, it is difficult to remove.

3. How do changes in food systems affect … Overweight, obesity and possibly hypertension.

4. What are the determinants of the changes… TV announcements (demonstrated in HIC), and in LMIC possibly broadcasted adverts and gifts in the packs of food.

6. How to shape… Education of children at schools or by rural groups, and perhaps with short radio broadcasted messages.

In summary the actions to be taken in this respect would be:

1. Facilitate the flow of foods from the orchards to shops
2. ‘New shops’ besides the Occidentalized (taxed?) food should have the basic  local food in a relevant position
3. Milk and dairy products are acceptable items but as long as they do not displace fruit comsumption.  

Thank you for the invitation to participate in the discussion. Slow Food would like to see the following issues addressed in the report:

·       The well-documented negative health consequences of the transition away from nutritious traditional diets to a western diet, and the reciprocal effects on food systems. In the Slow Food network there are hundreds of producers of traditional foods who no longer have a market for their products due to consumer preference for western industrial foods.

·       The relationship between biodiversity in food systems and nutritional status.

·       The relationship between production methods (both for animal and plant foods) and nutrient profiles. For example, in a study done to evaluate the nutrient content of Slow Food Presidia products (artisanal/traditional foods), Presidia products were found to have higher nutrient contents compared to reference values (see http://bit.ly/1Piv2wl).

·       The health impacts of food systems with high chemical inputs versus agroecological systems.

·       Initiatives that aim to reduce the distance between farm and fork. For example, our 10,000 Gardens in Africa project (http://bit.ly/1PLJlLl) is creating food gardens in schools, communities and family homes across the continent. The gardens are run, and produce is consumed, by the communities themselves. Likewise, the Slow Food Earth Markets network (http://bit.ly/1QTfBvb) and CSA-type projects give consumers direct access to locally produced food. Actions such as these have the potential to increase dietary diversity through the cultivation of varied traditional crops, and nutrition security by reducing reliance on vulnerable large-scale productions.

·       The role of governments in favoring the continued production of foods that form part of traditional diets. Subsidies and policies should support diverse small-scale local productions whose presence allows communities to obtain nutrients from a wide range of sources. 

One important issue is how can the following two important targets related to Nutrition and Food Systems be reached, namely to increase the benefits of a more nutritive food, and reduce the food safety risks. Maximizing the primary production is important for fighting malnutrition, but it is also crucial to improve not only the production methods but also the food processing and food preservation through sustainable technologies. The improvement of the shelf life of processed foods, would ensure their commercialization and distribution, allowing the food to reach underdeveloped areas where the resources are scarce.  This approach needs also the support of policies focused on the improvement of traditional processing, leading to more nutritious and safe food for more people, and the direct involvement of international world level organizations to attain this goal.

Current work in Guatemala is beginning to demonstrate the power of cross training of nutrition and agricultural extension agents, such that both disciplines understand the approaches and concepts of the other. In addition, at the household level, addressing extension and messaging to all members of the household can be important in gaining support for changes in consumption, production and market activities. In this case, encouraging families to produce and consume more beans is a key message. The MASFRIJOL project of the Feed the Future Legume Innovation Lab is conducting this outreach and training with local Ministry staff from agriculture and health. While it is too early for final results, MASFRIJOL is receiving very favorable reviews.

If we examine the role of the public sector then also the private sector as the main driver in our food system should be looked at. 

I also see that production is not specifically mentioned hoever assuming that the dfeinition attached is used then this is covered.

The issue here really is how do we build consensus at the sustem level and at different scales on the following:

1. Present outomes of the food system on nutrition both under and over, livelihoods and environment.

2. The root causes of these outcomes for example: food and agriculture subsidies, weak and unconnected food, agriculture, environment and health policy, private sector activities etc.

3. Dialogue on and activities to deal with these root causes which will be sensitive to many food system stakeholders.

Thanks,

James

Huge regions of China, and some regions in Korea, Vietnam

Dogs and cats are prepared using ANCIENT methods 2,000 year old cooking methods

https://www.facebook.com/EndFoodTortureCulture/photos_stream 

[graphic images, viewer discretion is advised, Ed.]

Please look on the link to see pictures of dogs being cooked alive 

This is business as usual

This is for ancient tonics and elixirs

Should this kind of meat still be consumed?

Please help or it will never change

Can you imagine this is UN Sec Gen own country!

The HLPE report would address the following issues from global to regional and local levels:

How and why do diets change?

Diet change is due to:

1.       Increasing income level of the people in developing countries.

2.       Increasing dependency on off farm job for their income including out migration.

3.       Increasing use of readymade food teams.

4.       Increased awareness of the people about healthy/nutritious diet.

What are the links between diets, consumption and consumer habits and food systems?

Which are:

1.       Increasing consumption of diet of animal origin.

2.       Awareness, increasing production of types/varieties of food commodities and their availability in the market.     

How do changes in food systems affect changes of diets, and therefore health and nutritional outcomes?

1.       Changes of food system have contributed for increasing consumption of protein rich diet of animal origin and the minerals and Vitamin rich fruits and vegetable, have  contributed to health and nutritional outcomes

What are the determinants of the changes in consumption?

1.       Level of income.

2.       Awareness level of the population.

3.       Availability and connectivity situation in that locality.

How do the dynamics of food systems drive consumption patterns?

1.    Migrating population and their food system has contributed driving consumption pattern in particular location/settlement/countries.e.g Increasing Asian population in Europe and USA has promoted increasing consumption of Asian type food also by native population.

How to shape and to address pathways to healthy nutrition?

1.       Awareness of healthy diet, increase availability, and discouraging use of harmful insecticides, pesticides, and hormone in food commodities production practice and also during their storage.

What is the role of public policy in promoting healthy, nutritious and culturally appropriate food for all?

2.       Food quality regulation right from production process up to the ultimate use.

How to build on the diversity of the existing food systems?

1.       Support for increasing production and enhance availability of Livestock products, fruits and vegetables.

What is in practice the range of actionable solutions from farm to fork that enable better nutritional outcomes of food systems?

1.       Enhance production of fruits, vegetable and livestock products in developing countries.

2.       Awareness campaign for the production and consumption of nutritional rich food commodities.

3.       Quality regulation in each stage of their value chain.

What action should different stakeholders, including governments, civil society and the private sector, take?

1.       Government should increase awareness and regulate the quality.

2.       Civil society should act as watchdog for both Government and Private sector actions.

3.       Private sector should ensure quality production of the nutrition rich food commodities.

I agree with the writer from  the research unit “Food and nutrition research in the global South” (Nutripass) on Jan. 29  that in reviewing the available evidence, the Team should consider the type and relevance of dietary assessment metrics used, their validation, comparability and standardization, and the unit of analysis to which they were applied.   Many different types of dietary assessment metrics have been developed and used in research, yet there is a paucity of standardized and valid indicators that can be used at national and global level to understand dietary consumption and patterns.

Although Goal 2 of the SDGs is to “end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round”,  it appears that there are no proposed indicators to measure characteristics of the diet.  Likewise, there is only one (process) indicator in the WHA Nutrition Targets framework that addresses diet –proportion of children aged 6-23 months who receive a minimum acceptable diet. 

An important focus of the HLPE Report will be on food consumption and diets of the entire population – including but not limited to traditionally identified vulnerable population groups.  For this reason, the Report will provide an important opportunity to promote the development and application of standardized metrics for global monitoring and evaluation of food system interventions that assess nutritional adequacy of the food supply as well as the quality of diets of households and individuals.  As pointed out by the Nutripass commenter, focus on individual intake is of utmost importance, as it is at this level that  health and nutrition  outcomes due to improved food systems will be observed. 

There is currently great interest in developing proxy measures of diet quality that assess not only micronutrient adequacy but also consumption of foods associated with excess weight and diet-related chronic diseases.  Developing these types of indicators for national and global monitoring will be a challenge given the incredible diversity of food systems, range of processed foods at low cost and the ability of farmers to produce, transport and store perishable foods.  However, recognition by the Report of the need for valid and comparable indicators of individual dietary quality will be very important.

There sould be more emphasis on the fisheries  from African coasts by the local citizens and  more efforts for the safe processing for  producing fish  products with stable shelf life.  

Malnutrition

In some countries like in case of Namibia, there are no Public health nutritionist at the regions or among the communities to advice communities about attempting to cook in balanced diet. I ti s not always that there is nothing to eat or not enough to aim a balanced diet but lack of knowledge and skills on how prepare a balanced diet will results in malnutrition.

Namibia as a country has no specific budget to cater malnutrition, we depend on donors for this combating malnutrition, although the country has set up strategies to scale up nutrition. One cannot fulfill what  planned to fulfill without a budget on your own.

The traditional way of cooking, one big meal with only one type of diet for instance if it is porridge, it is just porridge which is carbohydrates for energy provision, sometimes throughout the year.