FEEDcities project: the food environment in cities in eastern Europe and central Asia – Georgia

This technical report presents results from the FEEDcities Project in eastern Europe and central Asia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Tbilisi, Georgia, between November and December 2021 and aimed toevaluate the local urban street food environment. It characterized vending sites, the food offered and the nutritional composition of both commercial and homemade street foods available in this setting. The policy implications of the findings are outlined.

Маркировка и химический состав пищевых продуктов в Российской Федерации. Сводный отчет о результатах исследования

В настоящем сводном отчете представлены результаты перекрестного одномоментного исследования,проведенного в Москве, Российская Федерация, в период с июля 2019 г. по декабрь 2020 г. Цель исследованиязаключалась в том, чтобы составить представление о продовольственной среде города, в частности о пищевойпродукции, продаваемой в розничных продуктовых магазинах и ресторанах быстрого питания, и маркировкеее пищевой ценности, а также о химическом составе наиболее широко распространенных расфасованныхпищевых продуктов, готовых блюд и фастфуда.

Thirteenth meeting of the WHO Action Network on Salt Reduction on the Population in the European Region (ESAN): Virtual meeting, 2 September 2021

To help to facilitate progress towards the globally agreed target to cut salt intakes by 30% by 2025, the WHO Action Network on Salt Reduction in the Population in the European Region (ESAN) was established in 2007. The 13th ESAN Meeting took place virtually on 2 September 2021. The Meeting welcomed 39 participants, including representatives of 18 Member States, invited speakers and WHO staff. The meeting learned about a WHO study on salt intakes in the WHO European Region, new WHO global sodium benchmarks for different food categories and from two presentations to support reformulation for sodium reduction. In addition, eight Member States provided updates on their national salt reduction efforts. These included new studies on population salt intake, updates on national food reformulation initiatives and results of monitoring of salt/sodium levels in foods.

Salt content of processed foods in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and compliance with salt standards

Background: The World Health Organization recommends a maximum daily salt intake of 5 g for adults; the Islamic Republic of Iran has national standards for salt content of foods. Aims: This study aimed to determine the salt content of industrial (made in large-scale food companies) and non-industrial (made in local stores using traditional methods) foods in Tehran province and compare it with the Iranian national standards. Methods: We determined the salt content of 555 industrial and non-industrial products from parts of Tehran province in 2016 and 2018. The types of foods examined were: canned vegetables, industrial and non-industrial pickled vegetables, industrial and non-industrial tomato paste/tomato sauce, industrial and non-industrial nuts, and non-industrial barberry juice. The salt content of each product and its compliance with Iranian national standards was evaluated. Results: The salt content of industrial tomato paste/sauce in 2016 (2.05 g/100 g) and non-industrial tomato paste/sauce in 2018 (2.37 g/100 g) was higher than the Iranian standard (1.5/2.0 g/100 g). The mean salt content of both industrial (1.97 g/100 g) and non-industrial (2.16 g/100 g) nuts was higher than the Iranian standard (1.88 g/100 g), as was the mean salt content of non-industrial juice (0.79 g/100 mL versus 0.25 g/100 mL). In 2018, only 48% and 40% of industrial and nonindustrial tomato pastes/sauces met the Iranian standard. Overall, industrial products conformed better with the national standard than non-industrial products. Conclusions: Efforts are needed to reduce the salt content of processed food in the Islamic Republic of Iran and ensure they meet the Iranian standards.

Проект FEEDcities: среда питания в городах Восточной Европы и Центральной Азии – Казахстан

В этом техническом докладе представлены результаты одномоментного поперечного исследования местной среды питания городского населения в рамках проекта FEEDcities – Восточная Европа и Центральная Азия, проведенного в Алматы, Актау, Кызылорде, Казахстан, в период с июля по август 2017 года. В докладе речь идет о характеристике торговых точек, ассортименте продуктов питания и питательном составе пищевых продуктов как фабричного производства, так и домашнего приготовления. В докладе также приводятся рекомендации в отношении политики, основанные на результатах исследования.Исследование было проведено в рамках двустороннего партнерства между ВОЗ и Институтом общественного здравоохранения Университета Порту в сотрудничестве с Медицинским факультетом, Факультетом питания и науки о продуктах питания, а также Фармацевтическим факультетом Университета Порту (регистрационный номер ВОЗ 2015/591370 и 2017/698514). Исследование финансировалось в рамках двухгодичного соглашения о сотрудничестве и совместных программ между правительством Казахстана и агентствами Организации Объединенных Наций в Казахстане в Кызылординской и Мангистауской областях, за счет добровольного взноса Министерства здравоохранения Российской Федерации и проекта «Блумберг Фалинтропис» Resolve to Save Lives..

NCDprime: modelling the impact of national policies on noncommunicable disease (NCD) mortality using PRIME: a policy scenario modelling tool

PRIME (the Preventable Risk Integrated ModEl) is a free and easy to use scenario modelling tool that generates estimates of the number of lives that can be saved by policies that change patterns in diet, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol for a given population. It doesn’t require any special software as it is built into a regular Excel spreadsheet. PRIME was developed by researchers at WHO Collaborating Centre on Population Approaches for NCD Prevention at the University of Oxford and disseminated via WHO Regional Office for Europe for the use of Member States and other stakeholders.PRIME will be helpful to Member States as they undertake the challenge of achieving SDG 3.4, in utilizing local data to design interventions, set national targets, and estimate the impact of national policy interventions. WHO Regional Office for Europe will work with Member States to use this manual and provide further technical support as required.

Проект FEEDcities: среда питания в городах Восточной Европы и Центральной Азии – Туркменистан

В этом техническом докладе представлены результаты одномоментного поперечного исследования местной среды питания городского населения в рамках проекта FEEDcities – Восточная Европа и Центральная Азия, проведенного в Ашхабаде, Туркменистан, в октябре 2016 года. В докладе речь идет о характеристике торговых точек, ассортименте продуктов питания и питательном составе пищевых продуктов как фабричного производства, так и домашнего приготовления. Здесь также говорится о питательном составе продуктов питания, реализуемых супермаркетами и сетью быстрого питания. В докладе также приводятся рекомендации в отношении политики, основанные на результатах исследования.

FEEDcities project: the food environment in cities in eastern Europe and central Asia – Turkmenistan

This technical report presents results from the FEEDcities Project – eastern Europe and central Asia. This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in October 2016 to evaluate the local urban food environment. It characterized the vending sites, the food offered and the nutritional composition of the industrial and homemade street foods available in these settings. It also described the nutritional composition of ready-to-eat foods sold in supermarkets and at vending sites in food courts. The policy implications of the findings are outlined.

Улучшение питания в Казахстане: ключ к достижению целей в области устойчивого развития

Казахстан достиг значимых успехов в борьбе с рядом серьезных проблем вобласти питания и стремится к достижению глобальных целей по предотвращениюпотери веса и задержки роста среди детей.Однако в стране по-прежнему существует проблема недостаточного питания, арастущее бремя заболеваний, связанных с нездоровым рационом и избыточнымвесом, представляет значительные угрозы. В последние десятилетия вКазахстане, как и в других республиках Центральной Азии, происходит сдвигв структуре рациона питания: наблюдается рост потребления насыщенныхжиров, трансжирных кислот, свободных сахаров и соли. Несоблюдение вКазахстане диетических рекомендаций, в особенности крайне высокий уровеньпотребления соли, приводит к распространению артериальной гипертензии исердечно-сосудистых заболеваний, избыточного веса/ожирения, диабета II типаи некоторых видов рака. Преждевременная смертность, рост заболеваемостии нетрудоспособности, обусловленные этими заболеваниями, отрицательносказываются на социально-экономическом развитии страны и препятствуютдостижению целей в области устойчивого развития (ЦУР).

Better nutrition in Kazakhstan: a key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

Kazakhstan has made great progress in tackling some of the major nutritionalchallenges, and is on-track to achieve global goals relating to child wastingand stunting.However, pockets of undernutrition remain and the growing burden of diseaseassociated with unhealthy diets and overweight poses significant challenges.Kazakhstan, like other Central Asian Republics, has experienced a nutritiontransition in recent decades and consumption of foods high in saturated fat,trans-fatty acids, free sugars and salt (HFSS foods) is widespread. Non-adherenceto dietary recommendations in Kazakhstan, notably extremely high salt intake,contributes to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, overweight/obesity,type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. The premature death, morbidityand disability from these conditions have a negative impact on socioeconomicdevelopment and undermines progress towards achieving the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs).

FEEDcities project: the food environment in cities in eastern Europe and central Asia – Kazakhstan

This technical report presents results from the FEEDcities Project – Eastern Europe and Central Asia, a cross-sectional survey conducted in Almaty, Aktau and Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan, between July and August 2017, to evaluate the local street food environment. It characterized the vending sites, the food offered and the nutritional composition of the industrial and homemade foods available in these settings. The policy implications of the findings are outlined.The study was conducted within a bilateral partnership between WHO and the Institute of Public Health of the University of Porto, in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto (WHO registration 2015/591370 and 2017/698514). The study was funded through a biennial collaborative agreement and joint programmes between the Government of Kazakhstan and United Nations agencies in Kazakhstan for Kyzylorda and Mangystau oblasts, a voluntary contribution by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and the Resolve to Save Lives project of Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Expert meeting on population sodium reduction strategies for prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in the South-East Asia Region, 11-13 December 2012

Hypertension accounts for an estimated 1.5 million deaths each year in the WHO South-East Asia Region. Reducing population salt intake is considered an important and cost-effective measure for improving population health outcomes throughout the world and is promoted by WHO as a “Best Buy” or a cost-effective intervention even in resource limited settings.In view of the above and to develop regional strategies for salt reduction and measure population salt intake in the Region, the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia organized an Expert Meeting on Population Sodium Strategies for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in the South-East Asia Region for its Member States from 11 to 13 December 2012 in New Delhi, India. This report presents the technical deliberations of the three-day meeting by participants that included representatives from national governments of the Member States, WHO secretariat from the Member States, SEARO and WHO headquarters as well as global experts.

Effects of salted food consumption on urinary iodine and thyroid function tests in two provinces in the Islamic Republic of Iran

We evaluated sources of difference in urinary iodine between two neighbouring Iranian provinces, Gilan and Mazandaran. In the cities of Rasht [Gilan] and Sari [Mazandaran], 340 and 343 participants respectively were selected by cluster sampling. Urinary iodine in Rasht was significantly higher than in Sari [31 micro g/dL versus 21 micro g/dL]. Sodium and potassium urine levels in Rasht were also higher than Sari. Mean daily intake of iodized salt and thyroid function tests were not significantly different. Average annual consumption of some salted foods was significantly higher in Rasht than Sari. We conclude that higher consumption of salted foods in Rasht is responsible for an increase in urinary iodine