Browsing by Subject "Diet diversity"

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Promoting dietary diversification in the ASEAN region : exposing food taboos, and exploring the nutrient profiles of underutilized, indigenous food resources
(2020) Köhler, Realm; Biesalski, Hans-Konrad
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is composed of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The ASEAN region is ailing from moderate to serious incidence of malnutrition. Among the member countries, Brunei Darussalam has the highest prevalence of child obesity (17.8%), while Malaysia has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (15.6%). Indonesia has the highest percentage of young children suffering from wasting at 13.5%. Lao PDR has the highest percentage of the undernourished in the population (16.5%), at the same time, having the highest percentage of stunted children under five years of age (43.85%). It also has the highest HHI score with 38.7, which corresponds to having a severe case of micronutrient deficiencies, and the highest death rates for both children under five years of age (63 deaths per 1,000 live births) and mothers (197 deaths per 100,000 live births). To fight malnutrition, nutrition-specific interventions address the immediate determinants of nutrition of specific vulnerable groups – young children, pregnant and lactating women, and others. Dietary diversification is an example of a nutrition-specific intervention. This dissertation was conducted to turn the spotlight towards the ASEAN region, its triple burden of malnutrition, and to dietary diversification as a sustainable way to lighten the load. It tackled one of the stumbling blocks to the acceptance of dietary diversification – food taboos, and one of the stepping stones towards its successful implementation – nutrient profiling of underutilized, indigenous resources in the region. This dissertation postulated that plant- and animal-based food taboos adhered to by pregnant, post-partum, and lactating Southeast Asian women can hinder dietary diversification in the most vulnerable and crucial moment of the first 1,000 days of life. The two review papers generated were the first to consolidate and showcase researches on food taboos covering the region. They highlighted the need for culture-sensitive health interventions to address maternal and child health problems that could lead to the attainment of the sustainable development goals of reducing the maternal and under-five mortality ratios and empowering women in Southeast Asia, as well as the priority health goals of the ASEAN. The underutilized, indigenous resources in the ASEAN region have the potential to be valuable components of a diversified diet. To prove this statement and to further promote dietary diversification, the dissertation tackled the nutrient profiling of the edible insects – Bombay locust (Patanga succincta), scarab beetle (Holotrichia sp.), house cricket (Acheta domesticus), and mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori) from Thailand, and the sago grub (Rhynchophorus bilineatus) from Indonesia. For the pigmented rice varieties, the Camoros (red), Tinta (purple) and Malinao black rice from the Philippines were analyzed, while a review of pigmented rice varieties from Thailand was also conducted. The results of the analysis showed, and based on the Codex Alimentarius on food labelling, that the edible insects are “high in” protein and can be “sources of” or “high in” minerals. Also, data showed that the pigmented rice varieties from the Philippines and the pigmented Thai rice varieties have higher mineral and vitamin contents in comparison with white Jasmine rice. The findings in this dissertation have shown that edible insects and pigmented rice varieties can be added to diversify and improve the nutritional quality of people’s diets and to fight malnutrition from the household level. The novel research into indigenous food resources contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the field of entomology and biodiversity conservation, and of course, in food science and nutrition. Most importantly, the dissertation’s contribution to the promotion of dietary diversification in the hope of attaining improved human health and nutrition will benefit the whole ASEAN region.