NATIONAL FOOD POLICY CAPACITY STRENGTHENING PROGRAMME Module 6: Food Composition Data in Nutrition:

1
NATIONAL FOOD POLICY CAPACITY STRENGTHENING
PROGRAMMEModule 6Food Composition Data in
Nutrition Principles and Policy Applications
Lect 16 Food Composition Tables and Policy
Applications

• Lalita Bhattacharjee, NFPCSP,FAO
• Biplab K.Nandi, FAO RAP
• Harun Yusuf, NFPCSP,FAO
• 28 March 2007

2
Conceptual framework for understanding the
possible causes of low food consumption and poor
nutritional status
Care practices Child care Feeding
practices Nutrition education Food
preparation Eating habits Intra household food
distribution
Socio economic political environment National
level Population Education Macro economy Policy
environment Natural resource endowment Agricultura
l sector Market conditions Sub national level
Household characteristics Livelihood
systems Social institutions Cultural attitudes
Food availability ( trends availability) Producti
on Imports Utilization
Stability of food supplies access
(variability) Food production Incomes,Markets,
Social entitlements
Food consumption Energy intake Nutrient intake
Nutritional Status
Food utilization by the body
Access to food (trends levels) Purchasing
power market integration Access to markets
Health and sanitation Health care
practices Hygiene, water quality,
sanitation, food safety and quality
3
Changes in food composition in diets world wide

• Relative contribution of vegetable and animal
  products in total supplies of energy, protein and
  fat
• Extent of food diversification observed in
  different parts of the world
• Changing importance of staple foods in aggregate
  food supplies

4
FAOs involvement in Food Composition Activities
(1)

• Food Composition activities fell within Article
  1.1 of FAOs Constitution, namely, The
  Organization shall collect, analyze, interpret
  and disseminate information relating to
  nutrition, food and agriculture.
• Food composition was explicit in the ICN and as
  part of the Strategies and Actions on Food
  Quality and Safety , which in Section IV, 9 j,
  read as Support and encourage . the
  development and use of local food composition
  information.

5
FAOs involvement in Food Composition Activities
(2)

• Since 6 decades, the area of food composition
  data has been playing a major role in FAOs
  activities.
• The early development of the World Food Surveys
  was linked to such data, and, over the years,
  FAOs support for agricultural planning and
  production has relied on knowledge about the
  nutritional value of foods
• Food composition data has always been crucial
  when providing assistance to governments in
  determining the nutritional adequacy of national
  diets and nutritional status of their people.

6
FAOs involvement in Food Composition Activities
(3)

• The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
  (RAP) has been promoting regional food
  composition activities as part of its regional
  programme under the Asia- Pacific Network for
  Food and Nutrition (ANFN).
• FAO also worked with regional partners and
  facilitated several expert consultations for
  ASEANFOODS, SAARCFOODS and, more recently, with
  the establishment of NEASIAFOODS.

7
Food composition data indispensable tool for
dietary assessment (1)

• Data obtained through household and national food
  consumption surveys are the preferred source of
  food consumption estimates
• Provide more information on food consumption than
  food balance sheets.
• HH food consumption surveys collect data from
  people who are purchasing and eating the food
• Data obtained can reveal consumption
  characteristics of specific vulnerable groups and
  those from urban or rural populations

8
Food composition data indispensable tool for
dietary assessment (2)

• Dietary assessment may be collected at national,
  HH or individual
• Assessment of food composition at the national
  level is generally based on FBS
• At HH /individual level food composition data
  provides useful information on nutritional
  adequacy

9
Considerations for selecting appropriate methods
for community use

• Foods/nutrients of primary interest ( basic food
  groups/food guides, dietary variety, energy,
  macro micronutrients)
• Group vs individual data
• Absolute vs relative intake estimates
• Population characteristics (age, sex, motivation,
  education/literacy, cultural diversity)
• Time frame of interest
• Level of specificity needed for describing foods
• Available resources including food composition
  data for calculating nutrients

10
Conversion of food intakes to nutrients

• Conversion of food intakes at household/individual
  levels requires food composition
  database/software for nutrient calculations
• Results of diet surveys are dependent on quality
  of these data
• Nutrient values presently available largely for
  raw foods( does not take into account raw
  to-cooked differences in yield)

11
Need for food composition tables

• Currently available food composition tables in
  different countries have numerous inconsistencies
• Differences in chemical analysis, sampling
  procedures, conversion factors for nutrients
• Potential bias in diet survey results
• Need to conduct multi centric studies to
  standardize methods and factors

12
Need for food composition tables Household
levels

• Information on intra household distribution of
  food important for accurate assessment of
  individual intakes
• Need for food composition data at
  individual/household levels to validate dietary
  information
• Quantify obtained knowledge on household food
  allocation patterns
• Point to underlying causes of food
  undernutrition/food behaviours)
• Improve effectiveness/plan food based
  interventions

13
Need for food composition tables Household
levels

• Accurate food composition data required for
  calculating recipes/foods developed and widely
  disseminated in nutrition education programmes
• Need for nutrient values of recipes in terms of
  energy, protein, iron and calcium/serving/100 g
• Valuable in identifying rich sources of various
  nutrients at farm and community levels.

14
Food composition data in assessing dietary intake

• National food supply data - broad based
• Household data useful for food based strategies
  
• Individual data (Food records, 24 hr dietary
  recall, FFQs, diet histories,food habit
  questionnaires, combined methods
• Apply appropriate food composition data to
  quantify foods/diet into nutrients
• Rapid assessment procedures/focus groups require
  use of food exchange lists accurate food
  composition data

15
Food Composition and Commodity Standards (Typical
Information)(A)

• Essential food composition includes information
  on the composition and identity characteristics
  of the commodity, as well as any compulsory and
  optional ingredients
• Food additives contains the names of the
  additives and the maximum amount permitted to be
  added to the food.
• Food additives must be cleared by FAO and WHO
  for their safety, and the use of food additives
  must be consistent with the Codex General
  Standard for Food Additives

Cont.
16
Food Composition and Commodity Standards (Typical
Information)(B)

• Contaminants contains limits for contaminants
  that may occur in the product(s) covered by the
  standard.
• These limits are based on the scientific advice
  of FAO and WHO and must be consistent with the
  Codex General Standard for Contaminants and
  Toxins in Foods.
• Where appropriate, reference is also made to the
  Codex Limits for pesticide residues and for
  residues of veterinary drugs in foods.

Cont.
17
Food Composition and Commodity Standards (Typical
Information)(C)

• Labelling includes provisions on the name of the
  food and any special requirements to ensure that
  the consumer is not deceived or misled about the
  nature of the food.
• Provisions must be consistent with the Codex
  General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged
  Foods. Requirements for the listing of
  ingredients and date-marking are specified.

18
Food Composition Data in Codex (1)

• Food compositional analyses
• Building up a knowledge base that can be helpful
  to adopt a science based approach towards food
  import and export regulations
• Help consumers in rationalizing approach
  regarding choice of food products
• Scientific evaluation of food safety and
  nutrition to be used as scientific evidence in
  standards setting

19
Food Composition Data in Codex (2)

• Essential composition and quality factors ensures
  that the consumer will not receive a product
  below a minimum acceptable standard.
• Food composition data are important for
• Food labeling
• Avoiding food adulteration

20
Food composition of local/indigenous foods

• Need for nutrient based information/documenting
  knowledge of natural resources that make up the
  food environment
• Capacity building to use this knowledge for food
  security, nutrition and health promotion
• Need for food composition data on local foods,
  conservation and sustainable utilization of food
  resources

21
Promoting traditional food systems FAO Case
studies ( 2000 -2002 Phase I Phase II on going)

• Understanding food and dietary patterns of
  indigenous peoples as sound context for improving
  micronutrient status
• Nutrient contents contributions of uncultivated
  foods/ wild foods can prove valuable to food and
  nutrition/micronutrient security
• Building links between food procurement,
  preparation and the diversity of foods used by
  households to address problems of micronutrient
  malnutrition.

22
Constraints and knowledge gaps Indigenous foods

• Essential to have information on the food
  composition, consumption pattern as well as socio
  cultural and economic factors that influence food
  intake
• Understanding community and cultural conditions
  is of prime importance in successful
  implementation of programmes to help overcome
  nutritional problems

23
Capacity Building in Food Composition

• FAO Collaboration (particularly with UNU)
• - Regional data centres
• - Network information sources
• - Training courses
• - Conferences and meetings
• - International Food Data conference
• Healthy life style
• Food Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG)
• National basic Food Composition Tables

24
Recommendations

• Need to use food composition data to validate
  dietary assessment nutrition improvement
  outcomes
• Identify food and nutrition vulnerability through
  information on food consumption patterns
• Need to obtain food composition information on
  intra household distribution of food for accurate
  assessment of individual intakes
• Validate HH food allocation patterns and
  underlying reasons for food / diet related
  behaviour, so that effectiveness of nutrition
  interventions can be improved.

25
Recommendations

• Food composition information on culture specific
  food/diets/meals would be useful in developing,
  building upon and implementing information,
  education and communication strategies ( FBDGs)
• Food composition of local foods impact on food
  consumption and household/community level food
  security
• Point to strategic issues that need examination
  as part of food policy implications.

26

• Thank You
• For Your
• Kind Attention