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Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr (1996) 5(4): 203
Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr (1996) 5(4): 203
Editorial
Nutrition Foundations in the Asia
Pacific Region
Mark L Wahlqvist
National Chairperson, Australian Nutrition
Foundation
The involvement of non-government organisations (NGOs),
which are not-for-profit, in scientifically-based nutrition education
can be of great national and international benefit to community health.
Other agencies are, of course, involved in this pursuit, namely governmental,
education institutional, food industry and agricultural commodity
groups. But the externalisation or "out-housing" of nutrition
education to an NGO can provide not only greater credibility, but
also participation of others at the community and professional levels.
Some notable examples of Nutrition Foundations have
been the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), the Nutrition Foundation
in the USA, with its publication of "Nutrition Reviews"
(now managed by ILSI, the International Life Sciences Institute),
the Australian Nutrition Foundation (ANF), the Nutrition Foundation
of India (NFI), the Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines (PNF)
and those in Italy, New Zealand and elsewhere. Whilst community nutrition
education has been a common theme in these organisations, the level
at which it is pitched varies from that of "agents of change"
like health care professionals, food technologists and food and nutrition
policy makers, to an interested and educated lay audience. Because
of cost, Nutrition Foundations can rarely engage in media campaigns,
but may do so when access is provided by way of community service.
Their spokespersons can take advantage of these opportunities –
and, in the recent report of the ANF1, more need to do
this was felt necessary by its membership, and in a more proactive
than reactive way. The problem is to do this scientifically well.
It does appear that, in an information-rich age ahead, informed debate,
with intelligent appreciation of the need to make healthful food and
lifestyle choices in the face of uncertainty, will itself be an objective
of Nutrition Foundations2. The Internet will facilitate
this process and, it can be expected, Nutrition Foundations will interact
through their own Home Pages in the public interest (http://www.monash.
edu.au/ANF).
Some Nutrition Foundations also fund research, especially
as it relates to community nutrition education needs. In the case
of the ANF, it has, until recently, left this to other organisations,
be they governmental, philanthropic, disease-specific foundations
(like those dealing with heart disease, diabetes or kidney disease)
or industry. But this is changing, as a network of members, especially
in the education sector, see opportunities for community-directed,
low-cost, Internet-based research.
Roles of Nutrition Foundations extend to those of
cross-disciplinary liaison in the food and nutrition sciences and
technologies and advocacy in relation to food and nutrition policy.
There is a great opportunity for a network of Nutrition
Foundations to develop in 5b7 the Asia-Pacific region. There is also
an imperative for this in a part of the world where economic progress
is rapid, eco-systems for food production are under pressure, educational
standards are advancing, health care systems improving and costing
more, and where communication technology is becoming more sophisticated.
References
- Natalie E Beaumont-Smith and Mark L Wahlqvist,
The future for the Australian Nutrition Foundation: A survey assessing
members’ nutrition information needs. Asia Pacific J Clin Nutr;
5(4): 204-208. (This issue).
- Wahlqvist ML and Briggs DR. The Origin of Ideas,
Myths and Misinformation About Food. pp 1-9 In: Food Questions
and Answers. Penguin books, Melbourne, 1990.
Copyright © 1996 [Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical
Nutrition]. All rights reserved.
Revised:
January 19, 1999
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