Food Composition Tables in Southeast Asia: The Contribution of the SMILING Project

• DOI: 10.1007/s10995-018-2528-8
• Publication Date: 2018-06-08T05:12:23Z
• Authors: Paul Hulshof; Esmee Doets; Sok Seyha; Touch Bunthang; Manithong Vonglokham; Sengchanh Kounnavong; Umi Famida; Siti Muslimatun; Otte Santika; Sri Prihatini; Nazarina Nazarudin; Abas Jahari; Nipa Rojroongwasi...; Uraiporn Chittchang; Le Bach Mai; Le Hong Dung; Tran Thi Lua; Verena Nowak; Lucy Elburg; Alida Melse-Boonstra; Inge Brouwer
• Keywords: Food composition data

Objectives Food composition data are key for many nutrition related activities in research, planning and policy. Combatting micronutrient malnutrition among women young children using sustainable food based approaches, as aimed at the SMILING project, requires high quality data. Methods In order to develop capacity align procedures establishing, updating assessing of nutrient tables Southeast Asia, a detailed roadmap was developed identify propose steps this. This included training workshop build field data, alignment selecting foods nutrients be assessment, update country specific tables. The SEA partners project finalised table (FCT) with updated compositional on selected considered designing dense optimal diets target groups. Results Between 140 175 were inclusion FCTs. Key-nutrients were: energy, protein, total fat, carbohydrates, iron, zinc, (pro-)-vitamin A, folate, calcium, vitamin D, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 C. A assessment 13 key-foods per performed international guidelines. Nutrient local items often unavailable B6 contents mostly missing. For foods, documentation not available, thereby complicating an in-depth assessment. Despite these limitations, offered unique opportunity increase awareness importance well documented Conclusion Practise self-reported demonstrated that there is considerable room improvement some countries. addition, investment development urgent need produce document especially required.