CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN NUTRITION IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE: RESULTS AND EXPERIENCES

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CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN NUTRITION IN CENTRAL AND
EASTERN EUROPE RESULTS AND EXPERIENCES
Presenter Mirjana Gurinovic Centre of Research
Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism Institute
for Medical Research, University of Belgrade,
Serbia
www.agrowebcee.net/ncdn/
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The establishment and purpose of the Network for
Capacity Development in Nutrition in Central and
Eastern Europe-NCDNCEE

• Regional SCN networks already existed in Asia,
  Latin America, the Middle East and Southern
  Africa
• SCN, UNU and IUNS established a SCN WG on CD in
  nutrition and related issues in 2001
• Thus CEE is the newest network facilitated by the
  UNU Food and Nutrition Programme, through SCN
• Kick-off meeting for a capacity development
  initiative in nutrition in CEE, 19 May 2005
  FAO-SEUR office, Budapest
• The inaugural meeting took place in Budapest on
  the 13-14 February 2006, at the FAO SEUR Office
• Purpose to initiate and support CD activities
  in developing research and training in public
  nutrition based on country specific needs in CEE
  countries working towards the enhancement of
  individual, institutional and organizational
  capacity in food and nutrition.

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Kick-off meeting for a capacity development
initiative in nutrition in Central and Eastern
Europe, 19 May 2005 FAO-SEUR office, Budapest,
Hungary
5th Meeting of the NCDNCEE 11-12 November 2009,
Belgrade, Serbia
4th Meeting of the NCDNCEE 10-12 November 2008,
Belgrade, Serbia
6th Meeting of the NCDNCEE, 25-26 May 2011,
Belgrade , Serbia
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NCDNCEE and link to EC Projects

• EuroFIR-European Food Information Resource
  Network (NoE) FP6 www.eurofir.net
• EURRECCA- Harmonising nutrient recommendations
  across Europe with special focus on vulnerable
  groups and consumer understanding (NoE) FP6
  www.eurreca.org
• DIETS Dieticians Improving Education Training
  Standards across Europe, Thematic Network for
  Dieticians in Europe, Socrates Erasmus fund
  http//www.thematicnetworkdietetics.eu
• EuroFIR Nexus-EuroFIR Food Platform further
  integration, refinement
• and exploitation for its long-term
  self-sustainability FP7 www.eurofir.org

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Example of activities and topics in CD of CEE
2006-2011

• NCDNCEE meetings were arranged for identifying
  specific challenges in CD and training needs
• Framework for the Network develop based in
  inspiration and work by participants
• WHO Growth standards and its use
• Human Rights to Adequate Food and World Food Day
  activities
• Collaboration in Food Composition Data Base
  (FCDB) inventory for FCDB status and follow up on
  training needs
• CD Training in production and use of FCDB in
  Nutrition (EuroFIR)
• WHO European Action Plan for Food and Nutrition
  Policy
• Evidence-based nutrition -From Requirements to
  Recommendations and Policies (EURRECA)
• CD on identification of nutrition data from Grey
  literature in CEE
• Collection and use of nutritional grey
  literature Micronutrient inadequacy assesment in
  CEE from grey literature and micronutrient
  recomendations collection (EURRECA)
• Langual - Food indexing training in Food
  composition creation (EuroFIR)
• Assessment of current situation in higher
  nutrition education and training needs in the CEE
  countries
• Media communication Training
• How to write proposals for the EC projects
• Nutritional tools presentation and usage
• Development of regional FCDB Balkan platform
  -NCDNCEE in collaboration with EuroFIR-Nexus
  project

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Summary of some of the CEE Network activities

• Network meetings 7 total 158 participants
• Workshops/trainings/courses 15 in total
• 5 organized by NCDNCEE/IMR
• International congress and conferences 10
• Other meetings 10
• Invited lectures 6
• Power Point presentations/oral lectures 102
• Posters 26
• Papers 4
• Website http//www.agrowebcee.net/ncdn/
• Video film http//www.youtube.com/watch?vOGAaVs3
  po-c

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Publications in Journals
Gurinovic M, et all.(2010). Capacity development
in food composition database management and
nutritional research and education in Central and
Easter European, Middle Eastern and North African
countries. EJCN 64, S134-S138.
Pavlovic M, et all. (2009). Training and capacity
building in central and eastern Europe through
the EuroFIR and CEE networks. Food Chemistry 113
(8)846-850.
Pavlovic M, et all.(2009). Turning dilemmas into
opportunities a UNU/SCN capacity development
network in public nutrition in Central and
Eastern Europe. Public Health Nutrition 12(8),
1046-1051.
Glibetic M, et all. (2010). Management of food
composition database harmonized with EuroFIR
criteria using a web application. Journal of Food
Composition and Analysis.
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Conclusions

• Nutritional trainings, exchange of information
  and cooperation with other networks, UN,
  universities are excellent opportunities for CD
• The network was a source to new scientific
  knowledge in nutrition, a tool to foster regional
  involvement and identify needs and opportunities
  in regional CD
• Further attention should be given to such
  activities, as well as to funding initiatives
  from other sources