The need for food composition tables for southern Africa

Providing adequate nutrition to a nation is a complex social problem, which requires action across a broad front. According to the latest estimation of The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2000, some 826 million people are chronically hungry. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization reported that an estimated 206 million people in Africa are iron deficient, 86 million are affected by iodine deficiency, and up to 31 million are deficient in vitamin A. Malnutrition, due to inadequate protein, vitamin and mineral intake, is widespread. The South African National Food Consumption survey of April 2000 showed that nationally one out of five children (21.6%) is stunted. The least affected children are those living in urban areas. For Southern Africa as a whole, mean intakes of calcium, iron, zinc, vitamins A, D, E, C, B6, riboflavin and niacin were very low compared with Daily Recommended Intakes (DRIʹs). Therefore emphasis on providing adequate nutrition has accelerated the need for information on nutrition composition of foods eaten in Africa. Food composition data are at the root of governmental policies for all nutrition strategies and food security. It is important for estimation of dietary intake of population groups and to investigate the relationship between diet and health as well as diet and nutritional status. An African Network of Food Data Systems (AFROFOODS) with six regional groupings was established in September 1994 to update the food composition data within the countries. SOAFOODS, the regional grouping for South African countries, will collect and compile food composition data for this region. Data collected will be compiled into a food composition table for the SOA region.