Newsletter 02 2006.pdf - Sight and Life

SIGHT AND LIFE 40
NEWSLETTER 2/2006
The Governeur of Pohnpei, Johnny
P David with Klaus Kraemer.
Community and the Centre for
Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition
and Environment (CINE); Mr. Sei
Uemoto and his plans to develop
increased marketing of Karat
banana and other local foods;
the Youth to Youth project with
Class 4 of Mand Elementary
School in collaboration with the
Conservation Society of Pohnpei;
Pohnpei Library Week along their
theme of “GO LOCAL”; and the
vitamin A supplementation program
led by the Pohnpei Department
of Health/FSM Department
of Health, Education and Social
Affairs.
SIGHT AND LIFE has provided
on-going assistance for many
years to the Federated States of
Micronesia, including research on
the nutrient content of local island
foods and vitamin A awareness
materials, such as posters and
the recent video titled GOING
YELLOW, which has often been
shown on Pohnpei
local television.
This video was
prepared last year
(2005) as a project
initiated and supported
by SIGHT
AND LIFE in conjunction
with the
Island Food Community
of Pohnpei
and produced by
Micronesian Seminar
(see SIGHT
AND LIFE Newsletter
1/2006, pp.
31–33).
At the farewell luncheon.
At a farewell luncheon for the
SIGHT AND LIFE team, Dr. Kraemer
was invited to give a few
words of advice to IFCP and their
efforts to improve health and nutrition
in Pohnpei. The IFCP board
members and all present were
very touched by his insight. His
three points were as follows:
• Think about quantities of food
eaten. There is a serious problem
of overweight and obesity
in Micronesia. Fresh local
foods are generally good, but
even local foods can lead to
overweight if eaten in excess or
if prepared in unhealthy ways
(adding sugar, frying or using
excess fat).
• Focus on the youth. They are
the future. Their habits are not
yet fully set.
• Remember that not all imported
foods are unhealthy.
There are some imported foods
available that are fortified with
micronutrients. Remember to
read the labels!!
IFCP has already started working
on this advice, talking about
quantities eaten and working
with the youth. Also, an email
message was sent out to the
IFCP email network to share information
about fortified instant
noodles. Although many instant
noodles sold in Pohnpei contain
no vitamin A, there are some
brands that have been fortified
and contain up to 30% of the
estimated daily requirements. If
consumers plan to eat instant
noodles, they could choose the
fortified brands in order to get a
more nutritious food. The same
message is now being relayed
to community members in small
workshops, showing actual examples
of the fortified and nonfortified
brands.
Nutrition education (left) and Lois Englberger weighing and measuring a
woman.
Thanks are again extended to
SIGHT AND LIFE for their visit to
Pohnpei, making the documentary
and providing helpful advice.
The IFCP also thanks their partner
agencies including Pohnpei Agriculture
of the Department of Economic
Affairs, College of Micronesia-FSM
Land Grant Program,
Pohnpei Departments of Health
and Education, and the Pacific
German Regional Forestry Project,
for providing transport.