Dear all,
I would like to wish all INFOODS members and their families all the best for the holiday season and for the new year: peace, health and happiness.
2016 was an intense year and many things have happened in nutrition and food composition.
I could see that many countries have published a new food composiiton table or database (FCT/FCDB) or are in the process of updating their FCT/FCDB, have articulated the need for better food composition
data (in articles, conferences or meetings) or have elected new INFOODS regional coordinators and vice coordinators. A lot is going on in food composition and we make a lot of progress in achieving INFOODS’ aim: to imrove quality and availability of relevant
food ocmposiiton data. And we get heard more that new analytical data are needed and investements therein. I see some hope that food composition will receive more funding to better be able to estimate what people are eating and if they have the right amounts
of nutrients they need. Also agriculture is increasingly interested in food composiiton as these data are important to achieve nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
Let me share some of the global news related to food composition. In December 2016, the International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition,
organized by FAO and WHO, took place in FAO, Rome. It concluded among others, that more evidence, data and monitoring systems are needed for a evidence-based decision making including for policies and programmes (see the webstreaming of the sessions at
http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/sustainable-food-systems-nutrition-symposium/en/):
if we do not know what people are eating and what these foods contain, it is difficult to elaborate effective programmes and policies. This conclusion of the Symposium can be used by countries to remind governments and donors that data, including food composiiton
data, are key to reduce malnutrition rates significantly and in a sustainable manner.
In 2016, the UN announced the Decade of Action on Nutrition which will last until 2025. This means that we have another 9 years to prove that malnutrition rates can be decreased significantly.
If we all work towards this goal in a holistic and integrated manner, we will be able to achieve it. For example, through a food system approach, meaning starting at the production on the farm and then including processing, marketing, value chains and trade
before reaching the consumer – so from farm to fork. Again, the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition can be used when making your voices heard.
On a more personal basis, some of you might have wondered why I did not response to their emails, which is not my habit. I had two nervous break downs this year due to an overload of
work and other issues. I needed to learn to slow down and take others along accepting that I cannot on a permant basis work for two. This liberated me of a lot of stress. I still try to achieve a lot but just a bit less…. I am so lucky to work in a wonderful
team here in FAO and around the whole world. I received so much support from the INFOODS family over the last years and also this year, for which I am truly grateful. Your support gives me energy and keeps me going, and in many cases it arrived just in a moment
when I needed it most. Thanks for that.
A merry Christmas, a happy new year and so much more to you and your families
Best wishes
Ruth
Ruth Charrondiere, PhD
Nutrition Officer
INFOODS coordinator
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00153 Roma
Italy
Telephone: +39 06 570 56 134
Fax:
+39 06 570 54593