Current practices, challenges and new advances in the collection and use of food composition data for Africa
High-quality food composition data are indispensable for improved decision-making in food security, health policy formulation, food labeling, diet formulation, agricultural policymaking, nutrition research, and many other nutrition-related activities. The optimisation of dietary patterns is a powerf...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1240734/full |
| _version_ | 1797772814085783552 |
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| author | Beulah Pretorius Junior M. Muka Paul J. M. Hulshof Hettie C. Schönfeldt |
| author_facet | Beulah Pretorius Junior M. Muka Paul J. M. Hulshof Hettie C. Schönfeldt |
| author_sort | Beulah Pretorius |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | High-quality food composition data are indispensable for improved decision-making in food security, health policy formulation, food labeling, diet formulation, agricultural policymaking, nutrition research, and many other nutrition-related activities. The optimisation of dietary patterns is a powerful tool to reduce the impact of malnutrition on a population’s health and well-being. Many countries in resource-poor settings lack a framework for developing and managing food composition data appropriate for these purposes. In the article, an overview of available food composition tables in Africa and the origin, use and limitations of theses tables are discussed. It is important that those working on any nutrition-related activity for resource-poor settings understand the limitations of current food composition data. Production of high-quality data requires the harmonization and adoption of international standards and guidelines across Africa. Moreover, continuity in the production, compilation and management of high-quality food composition data is challenged by suboptimal capacity building in terms of organizational, institutional and legal framework development. In this perspective article, the authors deliberate on challenges with a focus on Africa, while discussing new advances in food composition activities. Opportunities (such as the Internet of Things (IoT), wearable devices, natural language processing (NLP) and other machine learning techniques) to improve existing resources must be more actively explored and supported. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:56:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-be51c03066a74a20a91bd585aec8238f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-581X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:56:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |
| spelling | doaj.art-be51c03066a74a20a91bd585aec8238f2023-07-25T16:28:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems2571-581X2023-07-01710.3389/fsufs.2023.12407341240734Current practices, challenges and new advances in the collection and use of food composition data for AfricaBeulah Pretorius0Junior M. Muka1Paul J. M. Hulshof2Hettie C. Schönfeldt3Department of Animal Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South AfricaDepartment of Information Science, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR, United StatesDivision of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Animal Science, ARUA Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South AfricaHigh-quality food composition data are indispensable for improved decision-making in food security, health policy formulation, food labeling, diet formulation, agricultural policymaking, nutrition research, and many other nutrition-related activities. The optimisation of dietary patterns is a powerful tool to reduce the impact of malnutrition on a population’s health and well-being. Many countries in resource-poor settings lack a framework for developing and managing food composition data appropriate for these purposes. In the article, an overview of available food composition tables in Africa and the origin, use and limitations of theses tables are discussed. It is important that those working on any nutrition-related activity for resource-poor settings understand the limitations of current food composition data. Production of high-quality data requires the harmonization and adoption of international standards and guidelines across Africa. Moreover, continuity in the production, compilation and management of high-quality food composition data is challenged by suboptimal capacity building in terms of organizational, institutional and legal framework development. In this perspective article, the authors deliberate on challenges with a focus on Africa, while discussing new advances in food composition activities. Opportunities (such as the Internet of Things (IoT), wearable devices, natural language processing (NLP) and other machine learning techniques) to improve existing resources must be more actively explored and supported.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1240734/fullfood composition datafood securityinformation and communication technology (ICT) toolsmachine learningcapacity building |
| spellingShingle | Beulah Pretorius Junior M. Muka Paul J. M. Hulshof Hettie C. Schönfeldt Current practices, challenges and new advances in the collection and use of food composition data for Africa Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems food composition data food security information and communication technology (ICT) tools machine learning capacity building |
| title | Current practices, challenges and new advances in the collection and use of food composition data for Africa |
| title_full | Current practices, challenges and new advances in the collection and use of food composition data for Africa |
| title_fullStr | Current practices, challenges and new advances in the collection and use of food composition data for Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Current practices, challenges and new advances in the collection and use of food composition data for Africa |
| title_short | Current practices, challenges and new advances in the collection and use of food composition data for Africa |
| title_sort | current practices challenges and new advances in the collection and use of food composition data for africa |
| topic | food composition data food security information and communication technology (ICT) tools machine learning capacity building |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1240734/full |
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