Food And Nutrition Research Articles

Prospects and challenges of increasing the development impact of agricultural research in enhancing food and nutrition security in Sub Saharan Africa

Increasing the development impact of agricultural research as it relates to promoting food and nutrition security continues to be a major challenge in Sub Saharan Africa. The preceding review explores the opportunities and constraints that are associated with increasing the development impact of agricultural research in enhancing food and nutrition security in Sub Saharan Africa. The engendered agricultural research approach in promoting food production and security is examined. There is an attempt to describe the impact of gender-sensitive agricultural research on food production and its implication for food and nutrition security. The influence of policy environment, inclusion of micro-livestock and insects farming in the mainstream agriculture production and agricultural research priorities in increasing the development impact of agricultural research are highlighted. It is also suggested that incorporating indigenous knowledge as the basis of agricultural research may promote increasing development impact of agricultural research in the region. Climate smart agricultural research should become increasingly important such that it influences food production and achieve the primary objective of achieving food and nutrition security. Sub Saharan Africa is endowed with potential good agricultural space which can be put in good use through increasing the development impact of agricultural research in a manner that the ultimate goal of self food and nutrition sustenance is attained. The review concludes that in the planning and implementation of agricultural research to enhance food and nutrition security, gender sensitive agricultural policies should be put in place such that women become the focal point of food production in Sub Saharan Africa. The sustainable development goals aimed at achieving food security and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture can be only realized through increasing the development impact of agricultural research in Sub Saharan Africa.

Taste workshops for children: importance of being hydrated.

Introduction: Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN) and the Royal Spanish Academy of Gastronomy (RAG) were the pioneers to present the idea of including gastronomy and healthy eating habits into the European education system. This initiative was approved on 12th march 2014 by the European Parliament and since then, both institutions, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, have been working on innovative audiovisual and multimedia materials for children. Nutrition education contributes to children′s improved understanding and practice of healthy lifestyles behaviors. One essential topic consist of having a well hydration status, and children are a vulnerable population much more prone to dehydration than adults. Objective: To develop a serial of videos for children between 3 and 9 years old with cooking and nutrition lessons and recipe demonstrations to be used as educational resources in the official curricula. Method: Videos focused on food groups, nutrients, gastronomy, active lifestyles and importance of being hydrated. A nutritionist, a cooker and two muppets participated in them. Results: The videos include five sections: introduction, theory class, recipes –in case of hydration we recorded recipes with different water content foods-, video summary and final test. We have presented a summary of them in Spain Pavillion in Expo Milano 2015 and will use as an education tool for teachers. Conclusion: Videos can be used as nutrition education tools to reinforce language, listening and motor skills as well as food and nutrition concepts, specially, the importance of being hydrated.

Morphometric Analysis of some Species in the Genus Vigna (L.) Walp: Implication for Utilization for Genetic Improvement

The genus Vigna (L.) Walp is a large cosmopolitan leguminous genus comprising both cultivated and wild species. Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Cowpea) is an important food legume that is widely cultivated in the tropics, but its production and storage are hampered by insect pests. The present study evaluated the intra-and inter-specific morphological variabilities among 20 accessions of six Vigna species, comprising wild and cultivated species. The species are Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp, V. vexillata (A. Richard), V. oblongifolia (A. Richard), V. ambacensis (Baker), V. luteola (Jacq.) (Bentham) and V. racemosa (G. Don) (Hutch and Dalziel). Thirty-one morphological characters involving qualitative and quantitative vegetative and reproductive traits were used for the evaluation. Multivariate analysis such as Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA) were employed to evaluate the intra and inter specific variabilities. The paired-sample T test indicated significant differences among the 20 accessions (p#0.000, df = 19) in their morphometric traits. The relative significant correlation observed among some traits such as pod length, number of locules per pod and number of seeds per pod indicated their closeness and potential for genetic improvement of cowpea. The PCA showed that reproductive traits such as days to 50% flowering (0.984), days to 50% ripe pod (0.993), number of pods per peduncle (0.340) and 100-seed weight (0.132) are the major traits that accounted for the variations among the species. The UPGMA using the average (between groups) segregated the 20 accessions into two main clusters, cluster I (comprising mainly wild Vigna species) and cluster II (comprising both wild and cultivated species). The taxonomic affinities and genetic diversity among the species are of great importance in the utilization of the species for food and nutrition, fodder for ruminant animals, cover crop for rotational farming and more importantly genetic improvement of cowpea.

Community Agro Biodiversity Conservation Continuum:An Integrated Approach to Achieve Food and Nutrition Security

Agrobiodiversity is a confluence of the past, present and future and both a tangible and intangible resource critical for both rural and urban food and nutrition security. Transformation in agricultural technologies, land and water use and urbanization has been largely responsible for its rapid erosion. In-situ conservation of crops and varieties within the context of communities is being increasingly recognized an important pathway for sustainable use of agrobiodiversity. The present article describes a C4 Approach that pay concurrent attention to conservation, cultivation, consumption and commerce of agrobiodiversity resources, conceptualized and operationalized by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in three agrobiodiversity hotspots of India. The C4 Approach consists of a series of village level interventions like establishment of gene-seed-grain banks, participatory conservation systems, participatory varietal selection, seed purification, promotion of farmer to farmer seed exchange, promotion of good agronomic and planting practices, use of small machinery for processing rice and millets at local level, product diversification and linking to markets for strengthening livelihoods as well as mainstreaming use of agrobiodiversity among urban consumers. Training and capacity development and institutionalization of the efforts through formation of grassroots institutions dovetailed with science based interventions were important components aimed at sustaining the efforts.

REFLEXÕES SOBRE O MÉTODO ETNOGRÁFICO PARA APREENSÃO DAS POLÍTICAS SOCIAIS NO CAMPO DA ALIMENTAÇÃO E NUTRIÇÃO: NOTAS DE PESQUISA EM UMA COZINHA COMUNITÁRIA

This paper aims to reflect on the relevance of the ethnographicmethod to apprehend social policies in the field of Food andNutrition. It is based on data from a survey conducted in acommunity kitchen from a Waste Sorting and Composting Unit(UTC – Unidade de Triagem e Compostagem de Resíduos) – popularlyknown as “dump” – in a neighborhood on the outskirts of PortoAlegre, RS, Brazil. It is argued that the merit of this research isin its traditional method, ethnography, which involves a set ofconcepts and procedures that will lead us to the point of viewof the groups surveyed through an intensive in situ work. Firstlywe seek to bring some definitions and characterizations of socialpolicies that address Food and Nutrition Security (FNS; SAN– Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional) as well as the ethnographiccontext; then, based on some ethnographic notes, we will attemptto elucidate, although initially, possible appropriations thatactors do on the community kitchen and on other programsthere. Without intending to exhaust the debate, at the end thediscussion is in favor of the relevance of the method for a deepunderstanding of the directions given to social programs and tothe questioning of the different logics that inhabit the contextstudied, allowing to critically rethink the government’s actionsconcerning FNS. DOI: 10.12957/demetra.2015.15933

Self-Reported Food Skills of University Students

University students experience a life transition that often results in poor dietary behaviors and weight gain. Adequate food skills may improve diet quality and prevent chronic disease. Research is limited, however, on students' food skills and food-related behaviors. The objective of this study was to assess whether self-perceived food skills and related behaviors of students at a large, Canadian university differed based on sex, having taken a Food and Nutrition (FN) course, and living conditions, using a cross-sectional online survey. The response rate was 21.9% (n = 6638). Students (age, M ± SD 19.9 ± 2.1 years) self-reported their abilities for seven distinct food skills. Students rated (out of 100) their ability for some skills significantly higher than others (79.7 ± 20.9 for peeling, chopping, and slicing vs. 56.1 ± 29.1 for weekly meal planning; p < 0.001). Females reported higher total food skill scores than males (487.0 ± 141.1 out of a possible 700 vs. 441.9 ± 151.8, respectively; p < 0.001). Respondents who had taken a FN course reported higher total food skill scores than those who had not (494.9 ± 137.0 vs. 461.9 ± 149.2; p < 0.001). Students who resided away from their parental home for longer than one year reported significantly higher total food skill scores than those living away for one year or less (488.9 ± 134.6 vs. 443.3 ± 153.0, respectively; p < 0.001). Results indicate that students' self-perceived food skills vary by sex, FN education, and living condition. Higher abilities were reported for mechanical food skills; conceptual skills were significantly lower. These results may assist in effectively targeting this population with nutrition education interventions.

Intersetorialidade e potenciais conflitos de interesse entre governos e setor privado comercial no âmbito das ações de alimentação e nutrição para o enfrentamento de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis

This article analyzed the potential conflicts of interest between government and private commercial sectors in the area of food and nutrition (FN) activities within the context of intersectoral proposals for dealing with chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCD) in Brazil. To this end, academic articles and institutional documents published after 2000 were identified that addressed FN actions in CNCD policies guided by intersectoriality. Elements that contributed to understanding the potential conflicts of interest between governments and the private, commercial sector within the context of intersectoral strategies to deal with CNCD were prioritized. It was concluded that the principle of intersectoriality disassociated from a political process that complicates the eligibility criteria and institutional practices of the sectors responsible for the set of actions that comprise government policies may serve as facilitators for favoring commercial interests. Participation in the decision-making process of the sectors of commercial interest whose practices, driven by increased demand for their products and the progressive concentration of power, contradict the purposes and principles of public policy, may delay, reduce, or prevent effective actions to reduce CNCD. This possibility is particularly relevant in the context of attributions that are specific to government entities, especially regulatory strategies.

Promoção de práticas alimentares saudáveis entre trabalhadores de unidade básica de saúde

Non-transmissible chronic diseases and inadequate eating practices are also seen among health professionals. In thiscontext, the present study aimed to promote healthy eating patterns among employees (n = 42) of a primary healthcareunit from Belo Horizonte-MG. First, a structured interview was done in order to characterize health and nutritional profileof subjects. After that, an intervention program started which lasted six weeks. Six weekly activities relating to food andnutrition education were carried out and their themes were: food groups and healthy eating; physical activity practice andadequate water ingestion; milk and dairy and the importance of calcium; fruits and the importance of using whole foods;nutritional labeling, whole grains and diet vs. light; sodium consumption and aromatic herbs. Posters and murals werepresented, food degustation was promoted, folders were given and giveaways promoted. A non-identified self-appliedquestionnaire was used to evaluate the acceptance by participants of interventions. Most participants were adults (90.3%),women (74.2%) and nursing auxiliaries (29.0%). Overweight was seen in 38.8% of workers in addition to a high frequencyof fried food and sweets consumption. After intervention, 100% of all employees evaluated (n = 21) considered their participationin the study successful and referred interest in its continuation. It was also identified that 61.9% of the employeeshad already done some recipe worked, and the score of knowledge application to daily life reached 8.3 (1.1). The studypointed out a different way for promoting healthy eating patterns for health professionals.

FOOD AND NUTRITION MISINFORMATION IN INTERNET: A CASE OF SAFETY OF ASPARTAME INTAKE

Food and nutrition (FN) misinformation is the incomplete, incorrect, or misleading information about FN science, without any scientific evidence. Misinformation can easily be taken from internet, and can come from food industries, friends, families, and influenced by its culture. Information on negative aspect of aspartame consumption is a case of food and nutrition misinformation taken from internet. Searching information through websites on the topic of aspartame will be easily found but most of the information claimed that using aspartame sweeteners is a frightening personal account attributing multiple health disasters, even the evidence has not been established yet. The aim of this article is to review food and nutrition misinformation, with the emphasis on the association between aspartame intake and its effect on health. Key words : food and nutrition misinformation; aspartame intake

A ATUAÇÃO PROFISSIONAL DO NUTRICIONISTA NO CONTEXTO DA SUSTENTABILIDADE

The concept of sustainability can be defined as a balance thatseeks to meet present needs without compromising those of futuregenerations. The concept is based on three dimensions: economic,environmental and social, which also underlie the concept of foodand nutrition security. Several authors point out the difficultiesof ensuring both food and nutrition security and sustainability,but consider both as potential challenges. The difficulties arerelated to the current food system and the hegemonic modelof economic and production development. Keeping this inview, clarifying the roles and contributions of nutritionists toachieve sustainability by investigating the concepts, valuation,applicability and perceived difficulties on the subject allows toincrease the role of these professionals in promoting a futureof social, environmental and economic quality. Therefore, theaim of this study is to characterize the professional performanceof the nutritionist concerning aspects of the food system andsustainability. This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study,using quantitative approach, and was conducted from March2011 to June 2012, when 192 nutritionists throughout Brazilresponded to the online questionnaire. The results indicate thatthe professional service of nutritionists focused on sustainability,although considered important, is poorly developed, indicatingthe need for changes in training and professional expertise, sothat they can play a key role in achieving sustainability. DOI 10.12957/demetra.2014.6246

Feeding health: problems, opportunities, goals.

Food security is when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life. On the one hand, the European Union Commission proposes new laws to achieve the highest possible levels of protection for human health and consumer interests in relation to food, plants and biodiversity. On the other hand, International Agencies (WHO, FAO, EU) pay attention to malnutrition and its consequences for health; poor people are usually the ones that suffer the consequences of underfeeding or dietary excess. In Italy, the mission of Food and Nutrition Services (Public Health National Service) is to promote food safety and good nutrition for the population; furthermore, they must pay attention to social equity. Suppressing or reducing their activity would be detrimental for public health and the national economy.

Validación de un instrumento para evaluar prácticas alimentarias en familias chilenas de escolares de 4 a 7 años

Introduccion: Para enfrentar el problema de la obesidad infantil, es necesario evaluar practicas alimentarias en familias de escolares. Objetivo: Elaborar y validar un instrumento para medir actitudes, conocimientos y habitos alimentarios en familias chilenas de escolares de prebasica y basica basado en las guias alimentarias. Metodos: Se realizo un estudio piloto en 30 padres de escolares de prebasica y basica. Se diseno un cuestionario por los investigadores del estudio considerando la opinion de un grupo de expertos, para medir actitudes, conocimientos habitos alimentarios en los padres de los escolares. Para la validacion del cuestionario, se aplico en 2 ocasiones, con 15 dias de intervalo y se evaluo estabilidad temporal, consistencia interna y concordancia inter-observadores. Posteriormente se aplico a una muestra de 59 padres y se calculo la consistencia interna del instrumento. Resultados: El cuestionario quedo conformado por 55 preguntas, agrupadas en 4 secciones. Se encontro una buena concordancia inter-observadores para casi todas las preguntas de la seccion conocimientos en alimentacion y habitos alimentarios (0,5-1,0). La correlacion entre la primera aplicacion y la segunda (test-retest) fue elevada (0,6-1,0), asi como la consistencia interna (0,75). En la seccion frecuencia de consumo del padre y en la de alimentacion del nino en el hogar y colegio, la consistencia interna para los dos observadores fue elevada (0,85-0,87; 0,92-0,90; respectivamente). Conclusiones: El instrumento es util y valido para ser aplicado en familias de escolares de prebasica y basica intervenidas con educacion nutricional y esta metodologia puede ser replicada en estudios similares.

SEGURANÇA ALIMENTAR E NUTRICIONAL: INTERFACES E DIMINUIÇÃO DE DESIGUALDADES SOCIAIS

Many changes have occurred in the form society is fed throughouthistory. With growing urbanization, everyday in big cities havebeen characterized by eating practices that prioritize speed,economy and practicality, often at the expense of quality, quantity,nutritional, social and ethical aspect that food represents. Whilemany still lack access to food, particularly a result of socialinequalities situation emerges a dietary pattern, characterizedby excessive consumption of processed foods rich in sugar andfat, causing changes in the world and epidemiological profileof the population. The contrast between diseases caused byexcessive food and hunger results in situations of food andnutrition insecurity, generating dehumanization and increasinginequalities. Studying all foci and related approaches is necessary,as this issue is critical when it concerns humanization, respect andethical conduct of human beings, government and communities. DOI 10.12957/demetra.2014.6642

Impact of Interventions by Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA) on Food and Nutrition Security of Farmer Households

Impact of Interventions by Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA) on Food and Nutrition Security of Farmer Households

Appropriate future targets of biochemical research in the developing countries

Appropriate future targets of biochemical research in the developing countries

A New Representation for the Sociology of Food and Nutrition

A New Representation for the Sociology of Food and Nutrition

Taxation of Unhealthy Consumption of Food and Drinks: An Updated Literature Review

By means of a literature review this paper aims at shedding more light on the potentialities of unhealthyfood/drink taxation in changing eating patterns and life styles and hence combating the obesity epidem-ic. One remarkable point that emerges when assessing the set of selected papers is the existence of a widediversity of objectives, methodologies, settings and datasets, policies implemented and results achievedby all these studies, which undoubtedly adds complexity to any attempt to draw a general conclusion onfast food taxation. Most of the examined studies predict a rather modest fiscal impact on unhealthy foodand drinks consumption and/or nutrition intake and consequently a poor result on weight loss and obesi-ty, by the interplay of several factors among them the effects of cross-price elasticities

A atuação da sociedade civil na construção do campo da Alimentação e Nutrição no Brasil: elementos para reflexão

The inclusion of Food and Nutrition (FN) issues on the public agenda has gained progressive relevance in Brazil and the civil society (CS) has an important role in this process. This article examines how CS affects policies in this field based on a historical perspective of their influence in political arenas of the Federal Government. The analysis was based on the following questions: (1) the political and institutional participatory approaches; (2) the related issues and political demands; (3) the implications of this process in developing public policies. The research instruments have combined literature review and documentary analysis. It was concluded that the role of the civil society was crucial for the consolidation of the National Policy of FN and the National Policy of Food and Nutrition Security. The institutional engineering and the profile of social organizations were very different, ranging from social movements to policy networks. The topics on the agenda have changed over the period studied, with the strengthening of ethnic, racial and gender issues. The gains of this process depend on public sector capacity to regulate and support the functioning of these institutional arenas and to involve governmental segments that actually has decision making power.

Food and Nutrition in Choshu-Han in 1840s

Food and Nutrition in Choshu-Han in 1840s

Policy development and opportunities in ICT for sustainable food and nutrition security in Nigeria

Some 815 million people world-wide suffer from chronic malnutrition and the most devastating and persistent problem of food security and environmental degradation are found in rural areas. These people are also information marginalized due to remote nature of most of such areas as in Nigeria. The objective of the research study was to identify opportunities in ICTs for sustainable food and nutrition security and propose policy framework towards achieving sustainable food and nutrition security through the use of ICTs. The information generated through literature showed that to be food secure, households need information and the understanding of what constitutes an appropriate diet, as well as the skills and motivation to make sound choices on family care and feeding practices. It was determined that nutrition knowledge is significantly associated with child nutrition, independent of mothers’ level of formal education or household income. Acceleration of agricultural development by increasing agricultural production, improved marketing and distribution that would lead to food and nutrition security can only be possible through knowledge and information. Bridging the digital divide through development and utilization of information communication technologies (ICTs) which include fixed lines, mobile phones and Internet services will go a long way in making significant impact in solving the problem of food security and malnutrition. Key words: Hunger, malnutrition, ICTs, access, capacity building, policy advocacy.