Food Policy 1st Test PDF

Introduction Definitions of policies, strategies, and related terms 1 Introduction Policy: A policy is a written statement of commitment by a nation state. A strategy may be similar to a policy. It is the objective a government sets for its...

Introduction Definitions of policies, strategies, and related terms 1 Introduction Policy: A policy is a written statement of commitment by a nation state. A strategy may be similar to a policy. It is the objective a government sets for its citizens and the actions it takes to accomplish the objectives 2  An action plan arises from policy; it contains detailed operational plans, including budgets, and goals and targets that are (SMART) specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. A programme provides details for implementation of the action plan; specific projects are defined within a programme 3  Food Policy: policy that is concerned on how food is produced, processed, distributed, purchased, or provided. Most food policy is initiated at the domestic level for purposes of ensuring a safe and adequate food supply for the citizens. Three main objectives for food policy: to protect the poor from crises, to develop long-run markets that enhance efficient resource use, to increase food production that will in turn promote an increase in income 4  Nutrition Policy: is a statement by an authoritative body (usually the government) of its intent to act in order to maintain or alter the food supply, nutritional status, or some other indicator in society. It is distinct from ‘food policy’ since food policy does not /explicitly incorporate public health concerns 5  Food security the situation in which all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient safe, nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. The four pillars of food security are availability, access, utilization and stability. Nutrition security is, concerned with the utilization of the food obtained by a household or individuals to generate optimal nutritional status, wellbeing, productivity and longevity. A household achieves nutrition security when it has secure access to food (food security) – coupled with a sanitary environment, adequate health services, and knowledgeable care to ensure a healthy life for all household members 6  Food and nutrition security: the situation in which all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to food that is safe, consumed in sufficient quantity and quality to meet their dietary needs and food preferences, and supported by an environment of adequate sanitation, health services and care, allowing for a healthy and active life. 7 Goals of Nutrition Policy The goal of nutrition policy is to have a safe, wholesome, nutritious, culturally appropriate food supply that is economically accessible and available in adequate amounts to promote health, prevent dietary deficiency, and reduce other diet-related diseases. Nutrition policy always involves a focus on nutritional adequacy and food safety. The goals are increasingly being broadened to bring in and address many other concepts, including goals that the food supply must be sustainable, enjoyable, inexpensive, locally produced, acceptable to different cultural groups, ‘unprocessed,’ ‘organic,’ and the like. 8 Who Makes Nutrition Policy? Nutrition policy involves many different institutions, actors, and goals. However, government is the chief initiator and driver of explicit regulatory or administrative policies Discuss: 1. Who makes nutrition policies in Ethiopia? 2. Can two countries have same nutrition policy? Why? 3. What are the factors that drive a country’s nutrition policy? 4. Have you heard of any food and/or nutrition policy in Ethiopia? 9  Factors affecting Nutrition Policy Making Nutrition policy goals vary from region to region depending on what the most pressing problem/problems of the country is/are Policy formulation is politics. Different political parties/activists/ lobbyists….might have different policies. Different stakeholders are involved during policy making, so incorporating these views has great influence in the policy making. 10  The factors that influence decision-making and nutrition policy making include the interpretation of science including scientific facts, risk assessment, and risk management options. However, they also include economics, cost–benefit analysis, comparative effectiveness analyses of different options, the likely influences of the policy on the public, industry, environmental groups, on political bodies and laws, and other uncertainties. The decision must finally be transformed into action after taking all of these factors into account. Scientific evidence is only one of multiple factors to be considered in nutrition policy 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 National Nutrition Policies/Legislation, Strategies, and Initiatives National Food and Nutrition Policy (NFNP) (2019–2029) Growth and Transformation Plan II (GTP II) (2015/16–2019/20) Second National Nutrition Programme (NNP II) (2016–2020) Seqota Declaration (2015) Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP) (2016–2020) Agriculture Sector Policy and Investment Framework (2010– 2020) National Nutrition Strategy (2008) Rural Development Policy and Strategies (RDPS) (2003) Agricultural Development Led Industrialization Strategy (1995) 18 19 Global nutrition report Ethiopia (2021) https://globalnutritionreport.org/resources/nutrition-profiles/africa/eastern-africa/ethiopia/#diet 20 International Institutions Making Nutrition Policies 1. World Health Organization The World Health Assembly is the WHO’s health policy–setting body. It often issues nutrition policy on global issues, including global nutrition targets In addition to problems focused largely on developing countries, such as the global nutrition targets which were largely focused on maternal and child health, WHO has also published many monographs based on expert consultations on various nutrition topics, such as a recent report on sugars intakes and others on specific nutrients and disease risk (WHO, 2015). 21 Six global nutrition targets of WHO The Sixty-fifth Assembly of the WHO declared that six global nutrition targets to be achieved by 2025; increasing breastfeeding and decreasing stunting, wasting, anemia, child overweight, low birth-weight (WHO, 2014). FNPs in different countries focus on these priority areas to varying degrees since the WHO targets are recommendatory, and not mandatory 22 International Institutions Making Nutrition Policies 2. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has a long history of work on food and nutrition as well as agriculture- related problems (FAO, 2015). FAO is currently devoting much of its resources to eradication of hunger and actions to combat climate change. Its publications also involve many other nutrition issues, including food composition, dietary assessment, sustainability and ecosystems, food waste, nutrition in emergencies, and food systems 23 International Institutions Making Nutrition Policies 3. United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition The United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition (UNSCN) is the harmonizing forum for all of the United Nations efforts relating to nutrition. It publishes a newsletter summarizing various topics such as nutrition and chronic disease, nutrition and climate change, and steps to accelerate the reduction of anemia 24 Concept Nutrition Policy and Food Strategy 25 Objective 1 Nutrition policies should address the triple burden of malnutrition through the prevention of diet-related diseases, a sustainable and safe food supply, and the integration with related risk factors. The basis for the global development of nutrition policies was provided by the World Declaration on Nutrition and Plan of Action on Nutrition 1992 (FAO, 1992). 26 Objective 2 Nutrition-related policies can be implemented at family, local, regional, and national level and at different sectors such as schools, worksites, health care, economics, mass media, food environment. 27 Objective 3 An evidence-based nutrition action approach, decision making, intervention based on international harmonized criteria for different population groups, development, implementation, and evaluation of PHN policy is essential 28 Objective 4 Monitoring and surveillance data on nutrition/health indicators are essential for comparing development in countries, for monitoring dietary intake and nutritional status of the population, for evaluating the impacts of interventions, and for providing information for political decision making 29 The Ethiopian Food and Nutrition Policy The goal of FNP is to enable the attainment of optimal nutritional status at all stages of life span and conditions to a level that is consistent with good health, quality of life and productivity. 30 7 priority intervention areas of FNP Ensuring availability, accessibility and utilization of diversified, safe and nutritious food Ensuring the safety and quality of foods from farm to table Improving post-harvest management of agricultural food products Ensuring optimum nutrition at all stages of life Creating system for an effective food and nutrition emergency response Effective nutrition communication and Creating an effective food and nutrition governance 31 Nutrition Policy Implementation 32 Three basic stages in designing FNPs Nutritional Risk Assessment Risk Management Implementation of the Nutrition Policy 33 Nutritional Risk Assessment Risk assessment describes the relationship between the consumption (e.g., the dietary exposure to) of a nutrient, food, food constituent, food, or group of foods by the population and its associations with risk factors (e.g., blood pressures, serum cholesterol) or some health outcome (dietary deficiency disease, chronic disease, or death). 34 Nutritional Risk Assessment What Is the Nutrition-Related Problem and How Severe Is It? Who Is at Risk? Where Is the Problem? When Does the Problem Occur? Why Does the Problem Occur? 35 Risk Management Risk assessors describe and quantify risk. Risk managers decide what should be done about the potential risk and what the policy options are for doing it. Separation of the two processes lessens the tendency of either or both parties to over or underestimate risk, or to insist on a certain set of solutions without considering larger issues. The risk managers consider the scientific evidence from the risk assessment and also economic and other considerations 36 Risk Management What Can Be Done about the Problem? What Should Be Done about the Nutrition Problem, and to what end? Who Should Implement the Policy, and How much will it cost? Who Makes the Final Decision? 37 Implement the Nutrition Policy How Is It Best to Translate the Policy into Action Programs? How Is It Best to Implement the Policy? Monitor and Evaluate How Does One Know that the Intervention Is Working? What Needs to Be Retrofitted or Changed after the Program Has Been Implemented? How Can Program Aspects That Need to Be Changed Be Revised? 38 Dietary Standards Nutrient needs vary depending upon age, sex, growth status, and genetic traits. Conditions such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, illnesses, and drug use may also increase or decrease nutrient needs. To promote optimal health and to prevent disease, guidelines known as dietary standards have been established 39  Dietary standards are merely guidelines that are designed to meet the needs of the majority of healthy persons. These standards vary from one country to another because of national nutritional problems and the interpretations of scientists concerning dietary needs. 40 41 Dietary Reference Values Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all (97 to 98 percent) healthy individuals in a group. Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): a nutrient intake value that is estimated to meet the requirement of half the healthy individuals in a group. 43  Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): the highest level of daily nutrient intake that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects to almost all individuals in the general population. As intake increases above the UL, the risk of adverse effects increases. Adequate Intake (AI): a value based on observed or experimentally determined approximations of nutrient intake by a group (or groups) of healthy people—used when an RDA cannot be determined. Dietary Guidelines Since people eat foods and not nutrients, recommendations about healthful levels of nutrients need to be translated into foods. Dietary Guidelines translate nutrients into general recommendations about the foods that should be consumed and/or limited. The Dietary Guidelines emphasize that sensible choices in the diet can promote health and reduce the risk for chronic diseases 45 Example (Most common Guidelines) Eat a variety of foods. Maintain ideal weight. Avoid too much fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Eat foods with adequate starch and fiber. Avoid too much /sugar. Avoid too much /sodium. If you /drink alcohol, do so in moderation 46 47 48 Dietary Guidelines (Target Groups) Food-based dietary guidelines are usually developed for all healthy individuals over two years of age. Many countries have also designed specific guidelines for children under two years or population groups with special nutritional needs, such as pregnant and lactating women and the elderly. 49 Dietary Guidelines (Development) Dietary guidelines are developed by interdisciplinary teams of experts, comprising representatives of agriculture, health, education, nutrition and food science, consumers, non- governmental organizations, the food industry, communications and anthropology. Many sources of information are reviewed in this process, such as scientific evidence of the relationship between diet, nutrition and health; and data on food production, food consumption, food composition, cost and accessibility. 50 Dietary Guidelines (Development) Once the draft guidelines and food guide have been prepared, they are pilot-tested with consumer groups to ensure they are practical and comprehensible and the messages are well-suited to the cultural, social and economic situation of a particular country. In recent years, an increasing number of countries have developed guidelines that promote and protect traditional food cultures and take into account the impact of dietary patterns and the food system on the natural environment. 51 Monitoring and Evaluation The implementation of dietary guidelines should be monitored and evaluated regularly. It would be useful to develop implementation and evaluation mechanisms in parallel with the development of the guidelines themselves, in order to sensitize the nation’s nutrition leaders and bring an action plan into play at the same time as the guidelines are promulgated. 52 Dietary Guidelines More than 100 countries worldwide have developed food- based dietary guidelines that are adapted to their nutrition situation, food availability, culinary cultures and eating habits. 53 https://www.fao.org/nutrition/education/food-based-dietary-guidelines 54  Common Characteristics of FBDGs Embrace the total diet, including all foods in daily meals and snacks Be based on foods commonly eaten by the population, and all types of foods should be accommodated List food classified by food groups that could be recognizable by consumers Describe food servings in terms of common household measures Be flexible in food choices to accommodate the many different eating styles within the country Be evaluated to confirm that they meet the dietary recommendations for the country Evolve to reflect new research and recommendations 55  Drawbacks of FBDGs They lack precision i.e. words like “eat more of…” and “eat less of….” are understood differently by different people Need large awareness creation and motivation to bring behavioral change among the population Very hard to address all socio-economic segments in the population Need investment to translate the FBDG into other languages or dialects. 56