Improving Diets and Nutrition

"These papers from an FAO international symposium make the argument that in order to be effective, long-term sustainable solutions must instead be based on providing and encouraging the intake of nutritious home- and school-based foods to vulnerable populations. This practice would provide optional nutrition as well as support the horticultural and agricultural development of the local economy. In addition, chapter contributors stress that other social measures essential to promote healthy eating must also be strengthened, including breastfeeding, food advertising regulations, availability of clean drinking water, and infrastructure development.This book highlights the need for interdisciplinary teams to help accomplish these multiple intervention goals and the usefulness of the information network for this purpose. The authors regretfully acknowledge the neglect and underfunding of these approaches to solving world hunger. Summing Up: Recommended"

- CHOICE

About the Editors
Contributors
Contributor Biographies
Foreword
Preface 1
Preface 2: Address on behalf of the 1billionhungry project
Preface 3: Welcome Address
Preface 4: Opening Address
Acknowledgments
Introduction

Part I. Overview
1 Perspective on Nutritional Problems in Developing Countries: Nutrition Security Through Community Agriculture
2 Food Systems and Human Nutrition: Relationships and Policy Interventions


Part II. Policy and Programme Experiences
3 Enhancing the Performance of Food-based Strategies to Improve Micronutrient Status and Associated Health Outcomes in Young Children from Poor Resource Households in Low-income Countries: Challenges and Solutions
4 Food-based Approaches for Combating Malnutrition – Lessons Lost?
5 Critical Issues to Consider in the Selection of Crops in a Food-based Approach to Improve Vitamin A Status – Based on a South African Experience
6 Contribution of Homestead Food Production to Improved Household Food Security and Nutritional Status – Lessons Learned from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal and the Philippines
7 The Under-estimated Impact of Food-based Interventions
8 The Current Nutritional Status in China
9 Integrating Nutrition into Agricultural and Rural Development Policies: the Brazilian Experience of Building an Innovative Food and Nutrition Security Approach
10 Gender Informed Nutrition and Agriculture (GINA) Alliance and Nutrition Collaborative Research Support Program (NCRSP)
11 Guyana’s Hinterland Community-based School Feeding Program
12 The Impact of School Food Standards on Children’s Eating Habits in England
13 Animal Source Foods as a Food-based Approach to Improve Diet and Nutrition Outcomes
14 Adapting Food-based Strategies to Improve the Nutrition of the Landless: a Review of HKI’s Homestead Food Production Programme in Bangladesh
15 The Growing Connection Project – Mexico Case Study
16 Biofortification: a New Tool to Reduce Micronutrient Malnutrition
17 Medium-scale Fortification: a Sustainable Food-based Approach to Improve Diets and Raise Nutrition Levels
18 Optimized Feeding Recommendations and In-home Fortification to Improve the Iron Status in Infants and Young Children in the Republic of Tajikistan: a Pilot Project
19 Towards Long-term Nutritional Security: the Role of Agriculture in Dietary Diversity
20 Building Nutritional Self-reliance

Part III. Contribution of FAO Departments and Divisions
21 Measurement of Dietary Diversity for Monitoring the Impact of Food-based Approaches
22 Nutrition Education and Food Security Interventions to Improve Complementary Feeding in Cambodia
23 Activities of the Animal Production and Health Division (AGA) to Improve Food and Nutrition Security
24 The Role of the Plant Production and Protection Division (AGP) in Supporting Crop Diversification for Sustainable Diets and Nutrition
25 Impact of Rural Infrastructures and Agro-Industries Division (AGS) Work for Improving Food and Nutrition Security
26 The Agricultural Development Economics Division of FAO (ESA) Work on Nutrition
27 Towards an Improved Framework for Measuring Undernourishment
28 Gender Dimensions of Food and Nutrition Security: Women’s Roles in Ensuring the Success of Food-based Approaches
29 Food-based Approaches for Improving Diets and Raising Levels of Nutrition: The Fish Story
30 Forestry in Improving Food Security and Nutrition
31 Legal and Institutional Aspects of Food and Nutrition Security
32 Food and Agriculture-based Approaches to Safeguarding Nutrition Before, During and After Emergencies: the Experience of FAO
33 Lessons from Support Given to the Implementation of Food Security Programmes in Over 100 Countries: the Feasibility of Integrated Food and Nutrition Security (F&NS) Approaches
34 Using Information Networks to Promote Improved Nutrition and Rural Development: FAO's Experience of Promoting School Milk Programmes
35 FAO Support to the CAADP Process
36 Selected Findings and Recommendations

Index

Brian Thompson

Brian Thompson , MSc in Human Nutrition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, is a nutritionist with over 30 years of international development experience. He is Senior Nutrition Officer in the Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division of FAO dealing with Nutrition Security and Policy. Working initially for ICRC, WFP and UNICEF with the NGO community in Asia over five years, he led nutrition surveys, provided clinical treatment, designed and evaluated emergency relief and recovery programs including feeding programs, supported health prevention and promotion activities and coordinated the provision of comprehensive humanitarian aid to refugees and other vulnerable communities. He joined FAO Headquarters in Rome in 1987 and advises Member Countries on the development and implementation of policies, strategies and plans of action for promoting and improving food and nutrition security in both emergency and development contexts.

Leslie Amoroso

Leslie Amoroso has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning for Developing Countries with emphasis on food and nutrition security and livelihood issues from the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (IUAV), Venice, Italy. She has extensive international experience in food and nutrition security policy and programme-related activities, with childhood, gender and HIV/AIDS components, in Ethiopia, The Gambia and Nicaragua. Since 2007, she has been working as a Nutrition Consultant in the Nutrition Security and Policy Group, Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division, FAO, where she provides advice and support to policy, strategy, capacity building, advocacy and programme activities aimed at improving food and nutrition security among vulnerable population groups. Ms. Amoroso also collaborates on several initiatives designed to strengthen linkages between food and nutrition security assessment and decision making at policy and program level.