Pacific food systems

O’Meara, L.; Cohen, P.J.; I’ilu Kafa, R.; Wate, J.T.; Albert, J.; Bogard, J.; Bonis-Profumo, G.; et al.;

Pacific food systems

The role of fish and other aquatic foods for nutrition and health

Year of publication 2023

Place of publication Apia, Samoa ;

Pages 38 p.

Author O’Meara, L.; Cohen, P.J.; I’ilu Kafa, R.; Wate, J.T.; Albert, J.; Bogard, J.; Bonis-Profumo, G.; et al.;

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Booklet

Full item page

Synopsis (short abstract) From expert consultation, literature review, and the Pacific Food System regional dialogues (2021), this report distills seven recommendations, and their rationale, for realizing and maintaining the full nutritional and health benefits of fish and other aquatic foods in the Pacific Island region. The majority of Pacific Islanders live close to the coast, where harvesting, exchanging and eating fish and other aquatic foods are a part of daily life. Fish and other aquatic foods provide a rich source of micronutrients, omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein, and as such, provide a necessary complement to the carbohydrate-rich diets among Pacific Islanders. Because of shifts in broader dietary patterns, Pacific Islanders are struggling with the triple burden of malnutrition: undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and overnutrition. The diagnosis and recommendations provided in this report consider nutrition improvements that fisheries and coastal resource management can contribute to, but also brings to the fore the complementary intersectoral actions, that address both upstream and downstream determinants of malnutrition, needed to improve nutrition and health among Pacific Islanders. The seven recommendations to realize the full nutritional and health benefits of fish and other aquatic food are; (1) Safeguard fish and other aquatic foods for sustainable healthy diets: (2) Invest in multisectoral collaborations for nutrition: (3) Protect aquatic ecosystems to ensure a continuous supply of biodiverse fish and other aquatic foods for diets: (4) Raise awareness of the nutritional and health benefits of eating fish and other aquatic foods: (5) Design nutrition-sensitive strategies that serve women and also children during the first 1000 days of life (6) Develop and deliver food preservation techniques appropriate for fish and other aquatic foods to fill shortfalls (7) Strengthen trade and supply chains toward nutrition outcomes.

Cite this content as:

O’Meara, L., Cohen, P.J., I’ilu Kafa, R., Wate, J.T., Albert, J., Bogard, J., Bonis-Profumo, G., Burkhart, S., Delisle, A., Diffey, S., Eria, T., Farmery, A., Fukofuka, K., Mangubhai, S., Mitchell, M.E.V., Na’ati, E., Nyemah, J.N., Pickering, T., Sutcliffe, S., Swanepoel, L., Thilsted, S.H. and Lam, F.V. 2023. Pacific food systems – The role of fish and other aquatic foods for nutrition and health. Apia, FAO.

https://doi.org/10.4060/cc5796en

Language English

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet

Improving nutrition of school age kids through nutrition-sensitive food system approach
Near East and North Africa regional network on nutrition-sensitive agri-food - Technical Brief
2021

Also available in:

No results found.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recognises that schools can make an important contribution in countries’ efforts to address food insecurity, poverty and tackle various forms of malnutrition. On top of the potential health, nutrition and education benefits with the latter being measured in terms of net enrolment rate, low dropout rates, better exam scores. Schools are ideal settings for food and nutrition programmes and services, because nutrition and education are closely linked and dietary, hygienic and exercise habits that affect nutritional status are formed during the school-age years. Many eating habits and behavioural patterns are developed during childhood and adolescent period. Schools can also be ideal for reaching large numbers of people, including youth, schools staff, families and communities. Children pass on the information that they received at school about good nutrition to their families and to the wider community. As children are widely perceived to be enthusiastic and able communicators both with their peers, families and wider community, if encouraged and appropriately informed, they can act as agents for change. As such, schools are great entry point for reaching into the community and promoting good nutrition, including proper hygiene and sanitation practices with life-long healthy habits. School food and nutrition interventions can include one or more of the following components: school gardens, school meals, school nutrition standards, school food and nutrition policies, food production linked to school food procurement, nutrition education in the school curriculum and improvements in water and sanitation, as well as other activities that contribute to improvements in school children's health and nutrition. Through all these complementary interventions pupils can improve their diets, develop healthier food practices and extend these to their families and communities.
Book (stand-alone)

National food-based dietary guidelines for Afghans
A manual
2016

Also available in:

No results found.

Diet is one of the single most important contributors to health, but also to disease. Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) provide information on healthy eating and lifestyle aimed at preventing all forms of malnutrition, including noncommunicable diet-related diseases and keeping people well-nourished and healthy. The FBDGs is a fruit of joint efforts and collaboration made by mainly four institutions: the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), the Ministry of Education (MoE), and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The development, promotion and dissemination of FBDGs for Afghans is an important part of the strategy of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) for improving the nutritional status of the Afghan population. Its realization is in accordance with the Ministry's mission of improving the health and nutritional status of the Afghan people. The aim is to achieve this in an equitable and sustainable manner, through the provision of quality health services, advocacy for the development of healthy environments and living conditions, and the promotion of healthy eating and lifestyles.
Book (stand-alone)
Activity Book - Right to foods 2024

Also available in:

Arabic
Chinese
French
Russian
Spanish

Show more

The right to foods states that we should all have access to nutritious food in order to grow and live an active life. Some food choices depend on preferences, culture, time available or culinary skills; However, there are two very important factors that help many people decide what to eat: cost and easy availability. Read this year's World Food Day Activity Book to discover the importance of food as a fundamental human right, healthy diets, the global challenges impacting our food systems and the solutions that depend on our actions. Regardless of our age, we can all learn how our choices can benefit a world where everyone has enough nutritious and safe food, leaving no one behind.