Asean nutrition workshop set

MANILA, Philippines–Despite significant advancements in recent years, many countries in Southeast Asia still face the triple burden of malnutrition—undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies and obesity.

To address malnutrition, the Philippines’ National Nutrition Council will host the 2nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Nutrition Surveillance Workshop-Conference to pursue the establishment of the Asean Nutrition Surveillance System, where delegates from the 10 Asean member-states will meet on Feb. 24 to 28, in Makati City.

The project under the program, “Asean Collaborative Project on Nutrition,” aims to promote the sharing of information on challenges and good practices in improving nutrition, measuring progress using key indicators, and harmonized methodology toward attainment of regional and global goals through an Asean Nutrition Surveillance System Strategic Plan.

Its key activities from 2015-2020 include capacity-building on data analysis, interpretation and dissemination, data standardization and nutrition data dictionary, resource generation, among other things.

This process of nutritional surveillance can facilitate decision-making in relation to current and future policies, and direct targeting for health, nutrition and general development programs.

Surveillance information can be utilized to promote actions that will alleviate or prevent malnutrition in the Asean region.

Participants include delegates from the Asean member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar), Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.