Implementation of Harmonized Food Consumption Data Collection in the Balkan Region According to the EFSA EU Menu Methodology Standards
Initiatives in the Capacity Development in Nutrition Research in the Balkan region in the last decade have been toward the creation of contemporary, harmonized Research Infrastructure (RI) compliant with European standards. This study describes the process of creation and implementation of the Europ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.809328/full |
| _version_ | 1818744481500889088 |
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| author | Mirjana Gurinović Mirjana Gurinović Marina Nikolić Milica Zeković Milica Zeković Jelena Milešević Jelena Milešević Agnes Kadvan Marija Ranić Marija Ranić Maria Glibetić Maria Glibetić |
| author_facet | Mirjana Gurinović Mirjana Gurinović Marina Nikolić Milica Zeković Milica Zeković Jelena Milešević Jelena Milešević Agnes Kadvan Marija Ranić Marija Ranić Maria Glibetić Maria Glibetić |
| author_sort | Mirjana Gurinović |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Initiatives in the Capacity Development in Nutrition Research in the Balkan region in the last decade have been toward the creation of contemporary, harmonized Research Infrastructure (RI) compliant with European standards. This study describes the process of creation and implementation of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) EU Menu methodology in the Balkan region during the EFSA support projects for food consumption data collection in four countries (Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia). This process entailed the application and improvement of an innovative tool, the DIET ASSESS and PLAN (DAP), a platform for standardized food consumption data collection and dietary intake assessment. DAP comprises computerized food consumption, anthropometric measurements, and physical activity questionnaires, validated food picture book, and FoodEx2 exposure hierarchy with sets of facet descriptors of the interest. It hosts the Balkan food platform with a Serbian food composition database (FCDB) and Regional FCDB, compliant with European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR™) standards. The implementation of the DAP platform in national dietary surveys conducted with the support of the EFSA EU Menu project in Balkan countries enabled harmonized food consumption data compilation and reporting. Application of the methodology entailed the development of study protocol and extensive education and training of study personnel. The entire data collection process was managed by internal and external survey coordinators. A pilot study was conducted to test the entire data collection and control process and was afterward used to make necessary improvements and adjustments to meet EU Menu requirements. Data collected are internationally comparable with food consumption data in other European countries within the framework of the EU Menu program. The existence of such data in the Balkan region will catalyze research activities in emerging topics, such as identification of dietary patterns, the establishment of national nutrient reference values and food-based dietary guidelines (not only in Serbia, but in the whole Balkan region), dietary exposure assessments, the endorsement and evaluation of new food legislations, the environmental and other effects of diet on the food system. The developed and implemented methodology underpins evidence-based policy-making processes lacking in the field of public health nutrition in the region. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T02:45:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ab137ee5fa4843f184503dbe20fc780a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-861X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T02:45:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj.art-ab137ee5fa4843f184503dbe20fc780a2022-12-21T21:23:34ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2022-01-01810.3389/fnut.2021.809328809328Implementation of Harmonized Food Consumption Data Collection in the Balkan Region According to the EFSA EU Menu Methodology StandardsMirjana Gurinović0Mirjana Gurinović1Marina Nikolić2Milica Zeković3Milica Zeković4Jelena Milešević5Jelena Milešević6Agnes Kadvan7Marija Ranić8Marija Ranić9Maria Glibetić10Maria Glibetić11Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, SerbiaCapacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe (CAPNUTRA), Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, SerbiaCapacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe (CAPNUTRA), Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, SerbiaCapacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe (CAPNUTRA), Belgrade, SerbiaCapacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe (CAPNUTRA), Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, SerbiaCapacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe (CAPNUTRA), Belgrade, SerbiaInstitute for Medical Research, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, SerbiaCapacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe (CAPNUTRA), Belgrade, SerbiaInitiatives in the Capacity Development in Nutrition Research in the Balkan region in the last decade have been toward the creation of contemporary, harmonized Research Infrastructure (RI) compliant with European standards. This study describes the process of creation and implementation of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) EU Menu methodology in the Balkan region during the EFSA support projects for food consumption data collection in four countries (Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia). This process entailed the application and improvement of an innovative tool, the DIET ASSESS and PLAN (DAP), a platform for standardized food consumption data collection and dietary intake assessment. DAP comprises computerized food consumption, anthropometric measurements, and physical activity questionnaires, validated food picture book, and FoodEx2 exposure hierarchy with sets of facet descriptors of the interest. It hosts the Balkan food platform with a Serbian food composition database (FCDB) and Regional FCDB, compliant with European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR™) standards. The implementation of the DAP platform in national dietary surveys conducted with the support of the EFSA EU Menu project in Balkan countries enabled harmonized food consumption data compilation and reporting. Application of the methodology entailed the development of study protocol and extensive education and training of study personnel. The entire data collection process was managed by internal and external survey coordinators. A pilot study was conducted to test the entire data collection and control process and was afterward used to make necessary improvements and adjustments to meet EU Menu requirements. Data collected are internationally comparable with food consumption data in other European countries within the framework of the EU Menu program. The existence of such data in the Balkan region will catalyze research activities in emerging topics, such as identification of dietary patterns, the establishment of national nutrient reference values and food-based dietary guidelines (not only in Serbia, but in the whole Balkan region), dietary exposure assessments, the endorsement and evaluation of new food legislations, the environmental and other effects of diet on the food system. The developed and implemented methodology underpins evidence-based policy-making processes lacking in the field of public health nutrition in the region.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.809328/fulldietary exposure assessmentfood consumptionEU menudietary softwareresearch infrastructureBalkan region |
| spellingShingle | Mirjana Gurinović Mirjana Gurinović Marina Nikolić Milica Zeković Milica Zeković Jelena Milešević Jelena Milešević Agnes Kadvan Marija Ranić Marija Ranić Maria Glibetić Maria Glibetić Implementation of Harmonized Food Consumption Data Collection in the Balkan Region According to the EFSA EU Menu Methodology Standards Frontiers in Nutrition dietary exposure assessment food consumption EU menu dietary software research infrastructure Balkan region |
| title | Implementation of Harmonized Food Consumption Data Collection in the Balkan Region According to the EFSA EU Menu Methodology Standards |
| title_full | Implementation of Harmonized Food Consumption Data Collection in the Balkan Region According to the EFSA EU Menu Methodology Standards |
| title_fullStr | Implementation of Harmonized Food Consumption Data Collection in the Balkan Region According to the EFSA EU Menu Methodology Standards |
| title_full_unstemmed | Implementation of Harmonized Food Consumption Data Collection in the Balkan Region According to the EFSA EU Menu Methodology Standards |
| title_short | Implementation of Harmonized Food Consumption Data Collection in the Balkan Region According to the EFSA EU Menu Methodology Standards |
| title_sort | implementation of harmonized food consumption data collection in the balkan region according to the efsa eu menu methodology standards |
| topic | dietary exposure assessment food consumption EU menu dietary software research infrastructure Balkan region |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.809328/full |
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