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Globalization of Nutrition Education
FROM S N E
Globalization of Nutrition Education Several months ago, I had the good fortune to visit several countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. As I interacted with children and their families in schools, missions, health projects, and community-based programs, I was constantly reminded of how very much alike we were, even though the circumstances from which we came were quite hfferent. We appreciate and respect this dversity as much as we celebrate our commonalities. Scientists now better understand the extent, causes, and consequences of poor nutrition in a society and are working on means to prevent, alleviate, and eradicate it.While many still suffer the ravages of undernutrition, the problems of overnutrition are commanding the attention of more nations than ever before. Just as the problems differ, so too do the suggested solutions.While the causes of undernutrition may be due to poor food distribution and access, the solutions to overnutrition may lie more within the domains of social psychology, communication, or education.While we at-
tempt to provide enough food to the starving, for others we design programs that lead to helping them change their behavior. Nutrition educators today must deal with issues of food insecurity, economic sustainability,and national policy as much as they provide culturally appropriate and meaningful information and programs that lead to people being able to make informed food choices. Nutrition education must be sensitive to the country or region in which the intervention is developed; what works well in one area may not be as effective or even appropriate in another. However diverse the approaches we use, we are reminded by SNES Division of International Nutrition Education (DINE) that nutrition educators value and benefit from the sharing of information, successful interventions, and resources, regardless of the geographic locale where they practice. It is to this end that SNE has developed this theme issue of its journal. While SNE is based in the U.S., its 1997 Annual Meeting was held in Montreal,
Canada, a satellite meeting to the International Congress of Nutrition.The richness of the opportunities to share multiple perspectives was a hallmark of this meeting. Many authors were from outside the U.S., and a number of presentations dealt with interventions that took place in nations outside the U.S. We are especially grateful to guest editor Dr. Audrey Maretzki, whose dedication has brought this special issue to fruition, to the authors and reviewers of these papers for sharing their insights, and to DINE for its enthusiastic encouragement throughout this project. We salute you all! We hope that readers will gain a sense of the excitement that characterizes nutrition education throughout our globe. We have much to share and much to learn; to those ideals, we dedicate this special issue on international nutrition education.
Laura S. Sims, PhD, MPH, R D S N E President, 1997-98
Words from the Division of International Nutrition Education (DINE) DINES last 2 exciting years began by our questioning the Society's vision to become "the world leader in nutrition education." As a result of continued dialogue and self-examination, the Society now sees itself as "a world leader in nutrition education,"with a vision that focuses on "healthy people in healthy communities" and a mission to promote healthful, sustainable food choices. This new mission cuts across national boundaries, acknowledging the fact that the human need for food security, nutritional well-being, and optimal health is not confined within borders. SNE is a dynamic professional organization with a commitment to inclusiveness, empowerment, synergy,and integrity. Its international nature is the result of its inclusion of an international perspective and globalization within its vision o f nutrition education. Such characteristics pose a tremendous challenge for a Society whose public policy program and other activities occur primarily within a North American context. As members of DINE, our task is to integrate global issues into all SNE activities to and facilitate member understanding of global interdependence. We are
committed to leading SNE members to become more aware of the interrelated issues of world hunger, development, and trade. With today's globally interdependent economy, we must become more cosmopolitan, innovative, and effective in intercultural communication and education at home and with our world partners. Ultimately, food consumption patterns, levels, and trends, as well as education, lifestyle, and health, are impacted by culture, and today's culture is global. In 1995, a DINE member task force developed the following goals for the Division: (1) to develop an in-depth awareness of the perspectives and programs of international nutrition education throughout the Society; (2) to foment the full participation of the international community of nutrition educators in the activities of the Society; (3) to ensure that the international nutrition education perspective and programs are visibly represented at the annual meeting; (4) to ensure that international nutrition education perspectives and programs are visibly represented in the Journal of Nutrition Education; and (5) to develop a network of communication and shar-
ing among members of DINE. O u r work for the past 2 years has been focused on operationalizing these goals by sponsoring sessions at the annual meeting, participating on key SNE committees, publishing a bi-annual newsletter, the DINE-line, establishing a member listserve, and supporting the publication of this special international issue of the Journal ofNutrition Education. O n July 2 3 , 1997 in Montreal, Ann MacPherson-Sanchez became the new Chair of DINE.You will find a continued commitment from DINE to bring nutrition education within a global context to life within the Society by examining new avenues for international partnerships, increasing an international presence at the annual meeting, and serving as a resource to the SNE Board of Directors concerning policies and issues that affect international nutrition education perspectives, programs, and research.
Bethann Witcher, PhD Chair, Division of International Nutrition Education, 1995-1997
Globalization of Nutrition Education Several months ago, I had the good fortune to visit several countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. As I interacted with children and their families in schools, missions, health projects, and community-based programs, I was constantly reminded of how very much alike we were, even though the circumstances from which we came were quite hfferent. We appreciate and respect this dversity as much as we celebrate our commonalities. Scientists now better understand the extent, causes, and consequences of poor nutrition in a society and are working on means to prevent, alleviate, and eradicate it.While many still suffer the ravages of undernutrition, the problems of overnutrition are commanding the attention of more nations than ever before. Just as the problems differ, so too do the suggested solutions.While the causes of undernutrition may be due to poor food distribution and access, the solutions to overnutrition may lie more within the domains of social psychology, communication, or education.While we at-
tempt to provide enough food to the starving, for others we design programs that lead to helping them change their behavior. Nutrition educators today must deal with issues of food insecurity, economic sustainability,and national policy as much as they provide culturally appropriate and meaningful information and programs that lead to people being able to make informed food choices. Nutrition education must be sensitive to the country or region in which the intervention is developed; what works well in one area may not be as effective or even appropriate in another. However diverse the approaches we use, we are reminded by SNES Division of International Nutrition Education (DINE) that nutrition educators value and benefit from the sharing of information, successful interventions, and resources, regardless of the geographic locale where they practice. It is to this end that SNE has developed this theme issue of its journal. While SNE is based in the U.S., its 1997 Annual Meeting was held in Montreal,
Canada, a satellite meeting to the International Congress of Nutrition.The richness of the opportunities to share multiple perspectives was a hallmark of this meeting. Many authors were from outside the U.S., and a number of presentations dealt with interventions that took place in nations outside the U.S. We are especially grateful to guest editor Dr. Audrey Maretzki, whose dedication has brought this special issue to fruition, to the authors and reviewers of these papers for sharing their insights, and to DINE for its enthusiastic encouragement throughout this project. We salute you all! We hope that readers will gain a sense of the excitement that characterizes nutrition education throughout our globe. We have much to share and much to learn; to those ideals, we dedicate this special issue on international nutrition education.
Laura S. Sims, PhD, MPH, R D S N E President, 1997-98
Words from the Division of International Nutrition Education (DINE) DINES last 2 exciting years began by our questioning the Society's vision to become "the world leader in nutrition education." As a result of continued dialogue and self-examination, the Society now sees itself as "a world leader in nutrition education,"with a vision that focuses on "healthy people in healthy communities" and a mission to promote healthful, sustainable food choices. This new mission cuts across national boundaries, acknowledging the fact that the human need for food security, nutritional well-being, and optimal health is not confined within borders. SNE is a dynamic professional organization with a commitment to inclusiveness, empowerment, synergy,and integrity. Its international nature is the result of its inclusion of an international perspective and globalization within its vision o f nutrition education. Such characteristics pose a tremendous challenge for a Society whose public policy program and other activities occur primarily within a North American context. As members of DINE, our task is to integrate global issues into all SNE activities to and facilitate member understanding of global interdependence. We are
committed to leading SNE members to become more aware of the interrelated issues of world hunger, development, and trade. With today's globally interdependent economy, we must become more cosmopolitan, innovative, and effective in intercultural communication and education at home and with our world partners. Ultimately, food consumption patterns, levels, and trends, as well as education, lifestyle, and health, are impacted by culture, and today's culture is global. In 1995, a DINE member task force developed the following goals for the Division: (1) to develop an in-depth awareness of the perspectives and programs of international nutrition education throughout the Society; (2) to foment the full participation of the international community of nutrition educators in the activities of the Society; (3) to ensure that the international nutrition education perspective and programs are visibly represented at the annual meeting; (4) to ensure that international nutrition education perspectives and programs are visibly represented in the Journal of Nutrition Education; and (5) to develop a network of communication and shar-
ing among members of DINE. O u r work for the past 2 years has been focused on operationalizing these goals by sponsoring sessions at the annual meeting, participating on key SNE committees, publishing a bi-annual newsletter, the DINE-line, establishing a member listserve, and supporting the publication of this special international issue of the Journal ofNutrition Education. O n July 2 3 , 1997 in Montreal, Ann MacPherson-Sanchez became the new Chair of DINE.You will find a continued commitment from DINE to bring nutrition education within a global context to life within the Society by examining new avenues for international partnerships, increasing an international presence at the annual meeting, and serving as a resource to the SNE Board of Directors concerning policies and issues that affect international nutrition education perspectives, programs, and research.
Bethann Witcher, PhD Chair, Division of International Nutrition Education, 1995-1997