Food Nutrition and Health Phase II

Food Nutrition and Health Project A multidisciplinary group was constituted in proposing a research and food security research program in the southern region of Ecuador. This program was selected through an internal contest and includes three areas of research: evaluation nutritional, microbiological and chemical analysis of food, and the evaluation of food production techniques. Currently, this program is being carried out at the University of Cuenca with the research has as its specific objective, namely, the evaluation of the nutritional status of Medicine students of the University of Cuenca and of overweight and obesity among adolescents in the region. The latter is part of a national study and aimed at secondary level students. The main objectives of the project were chosen: evaluation of the nutritional status and anthropometry of the inhabitants in the urban area of the city of Cuenca, the evaluation of the food pattern through surveys of frequency of food consumption and the physical activity of the families in the city, macronutrients and the determination of vitamin C in the food consumed mainly in the city of Cuenca, the evaluation of the level of microbial contamination in several food Biochemical determinations (study of nutrient deficiency anemia) in preschool and schools. Both the Cuenca and Vlir team define the main topics for the Food, Nutrition and Health Program: 1. The consumption of food and physical activity patterns in the population of the center of Cuenca. 2. Food consumption preferences and food intake in risk groups: children, adolescents, mothers and age groups. 3. Biochemical determinations of food composition and microbiological pollution. 4. Production and manipulation of usual consumption foods. 5. Biochemical determinations of nutritional disorders. The contents of the program were discussed during the matchmaking in November 2007 in Belgium and the general opinion was that the objective populations and biochemical determinations had to be selected more accurately. Two research groups, including children under two years and adolescents from 11 to 15 years old were finally adopted as suggested by Flemish experts later matchmaking in Cuenca in February 2007. The issue of incorporation of research on micronutrient deficiency was left open for the second phase of the project.

OUTSIDE THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS EXTERNAL FUNDS