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Capacity development in food composition database management and nutritional research and education in Central and Eastern European, Middle Eastern and North African countries

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 64, pages S134–S138 (2010)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

Capacity development (CD) in food and nutrition is much more than formal training and includes human resource development, and organisational, institutional and legal framework development with the aim of enhancing nutrition-relevant knowledge and skills to support infrastructural development. The goal of the European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) Network of Excellence has been to develop and integrate food composition data throughout Europe. EuroFIR joined forces in CD with the United Nations (UN) University and UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition, the Network for Capacity Development in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, the Central and Eastern European Countries Food Data Systems network and with the Middle East and North African Capacity Building Initiative. The aim of this paper is to discuss an inventory of the status of food composition databases (FCDBs) and the training needs of compilers in non-EuroFIR countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and to present the CD achieved through EuroFIR and other network collaborations.

Subjects/Methods:

Two online questionnaires were created addressing the FCDB status and specific training needs in countries of the targeted regions. Data were collected during 2006–2008 and then analysed. Subsequently, CD activities were organised.

Results:

Contacts were established in 19 CEE and 7 MENA countries, of which several had national food composition tables, but no electronic versions. Education, training, workshops, networking and the sharing of experiences were uniformly requested. Subsequently, CD activities in EuroFIR were organised focussing on food composition courses, exchange visits, workshops and individual training for PhD students, junior scientists and other staff categories, as well as conferences linked to food composition research and food information. To facilitate CD activities, EuroFIR has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Estonia.

Conclusions:

EuroFIR has created training activities that complement national activities. Collaboration with other networks has provided an overview of FCDB status and training needs, providing directions for CD activities in those countries. This provides a platform for new funding and further development and networking for CD, which would be conducive to European Commission objectives and public health strategies for CD.

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Acknowledgements

This work was completed on behalf of the EuroFIR consortium and funded under the EU 6th Framework Food Quality and Safety Programme (FOOD-CT-2005-513944) and was partly funded by the United Nations University/UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition, Network for Capacity Development in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, by the Project 145071 financed by the Ministry of Science of the Republic of Serbia and by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic in the frame of the Official Development Support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    M Gurinović, J Tepšić, M Ranić, J Debeljak-Martačić, G Petrović-Oggiano, R Novaković & M Glibetić

  2. Department of Food Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

    C M Witthöft

  3. Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    P J M Hulshof & P C Hollman

  4. Department of Risk Assessments and Food Composition Data Bank, VUP Food Research Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia

    J Porubska

  5. National Nutrition Institute, Ministry of Health, Cairo, Egypt

    A Gohar

  6. Akershus University College, Lillestrom, Norway

    A Oshaug

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  1. M Gurinović
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  2. C M Witthöft
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  3. J Tepšić
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  4. M Ranić
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  5. P J M Hulshof
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  6. P C Hollman
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  7. J Porubska
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  8. A Gohar
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  9. J Debeljak-Martačić
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  10. G Petrović-Oggiano
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  11. R Novaković
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  12. M Glibetić
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  13. A Oshaug
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Correspondence to M Gurinović.

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Gurinović, M., Witthöft, C., Tepšić, J. et al. Capacity development in food composition database management and nutritional research and education in Central and Eastern European, Middle Eastern and North African countries. Eur J Clin Nutr 64 (Suppl 3), S134–S138 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2010.224

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