The 10th Asian Network Symposium on Nutrition

Sustainable Healthy Diet through Healthy Food Environment for Children in Asia and the Pacific
Program PDF

Date：Tue, 18th January 2022 10am-1pmJPN
Venue：Online Live streaming
Host：National Institute of Health and Nutrition, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition
Supporting bodies：Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare、The Japan Dietetic Association, The Japanese Society of Nutrition and Dietetics


Program ：
Chairpersons: Dr. NISHI Nobuo (NIHN, NIBIOHN) and Dr. Juliawati UNTORO (WHO/WPRO)

１）Keynote Lecture
　　Protecting children from the harmful impact of food marketing in the Western Pacific
　　Dr. Juliawati UNTORO (WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific)
　　video

２）Country Reports
�@ Food marketing and advertising practices: a case study from Fiji
　Dr. Gade WAQA (College of Medicine Nursing ＆ Health Sciences, Fiji National University, Fiji)
　　video

�A　Trading health-regulating imports of sweetened beverages and other commodities to Pacific Countries to prevent and manage non-communicable diseases
　　Prof. Colin BELL (Public Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Australia)
　　video

�B　The current status of food environmental policies in private and government sectors in Vietnam
　　Dr. Tran Khanh VAN (Human Resources and Administration, Department of Micronutrients, National Institute of Nutrition, Vietnam)
　　video

�C　School lunches in Japan: their contribution to healthier nutrient intake
　　Dr. ASAKURA Keiko (Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Medicine, Toho University, Japan)
　　video

Q＆A at the Discussion

Questions	Answer
To Dr. VAN When Vietnam develop the circular on food nutrition labelling? Do you think it is good to add trans fat in the label?	Yes, we showed to government the importance of TFA to be added in the level. However, companies in Vietnam are complaining they have difficulties to implement it: 1) their resources for formula change, and 2) few labs in Vietnam can provide service of test TFA so companies have difficulties of time for receiving results of TFA and more expenditure for checking TFA. The NIN and MOH are working to find a solution for this.
To Dr. ASAKURA In Japan, is school lunch covered by the Government or paid by the parents? Any subsidization for the poor?	Thank you for your question. The fees are covered by both the local government and the parents. For low -income families, the fees are subsidized.
To Dr. VAN In the case a voluntary term can be good to add, means that TFA should be encouraged to be labelled. The goal of WHO is to eliminate TFA in 2023, and already more than 50 countries have policies on TFA.	We are working on solutions for TFA to be mandated. The solutions include supports for companies to implement the mandated regulation of TFA elimination/limitation.
To Dr. BELL What happens in our policies? I don't get translated very well in the implementation phase also local research is always underfunded for nutrition. Can WHO invest in this? I believe programmable changes especially eating-related behavioral changes are so important to understand in our countries.	I agree that policy implementation is where we should focus our efforts. We have a GACD funded research project in Fiji focused on exactly that. A key part is building in-country capacity. As you note, however, Pacific countries need ongoing investment/support from development agencies such as WHO, SPC, FAO for policy implementation and evaluation.
To Dr. UNTORO According to the presentation introduced Korean advertising policy, advertisement of unhealthy food was banned during kid's TV programme. Is there any opposition from food companies? If so, how negotiated them? Did you offer alternative benefit them?	The private sector opposition was observed at the beginning but with the Government leadership and continuous dialogues, the policy was developed and implemented. After the dissemination of the law, the "healthy food products" sold better than "unhealthy" products and that can be an incentive of private sectors to reformulate their products.
To Dr. WAQA How do you see the outcome of the undergoing policies in terms of children’s health status?	Policies targeting children are made to safeguard them. So, we can say that a government failed in its duty when such policies are not activated or monitored. The last data gathered shows the increasing trend of overweight and obesity in Fiji which means we need more work to safeguard our children.
To Dr. UNTORO Will there be any financial and technical support for member countries to conduct research on salt and beverage reduction?	WHO provides technical supports to conduct national assessment/survey which may include salt and food/beverage assessment, for example, the PEN (Package of Essential Noncommunicable Diseases) survey.