Abstract:
High-quality food composition data are indispensable for improved decisionmaking
in food security, health policy formulation, food labeling, diet formulation,
agricultural policymaking, nutrition research, and many other nutrition-related
activities. The optimisation of dietary patterns is a powerful tool to reduce the
impact of malnutrition on a population’s health and well-being. Many countries
in resource-poor settings lack a framework for developing and managing food
composition data appropriate for these purposes. In the article, an overview of
available food composition tables in Africa and the origin, use and limitations
of theses tables are discussed. It is important that those working on any
nutrition-related activity for resource-poor settings understand the limitations
of current food composition data. Production of high-quality data requires the
harmonization and adoption of international standards and guidelines across
Africa. Moreover, continuity in the production, compilation and management of
high-quality food composition data is challenged by suboptimal capacity building
in terms of organizational, institutional and legal framework development. In this
perspective article, the authors deliberate on challenges with a focus on Africa,
while discussing new advances in food composition activities. Opportunities (such
as the Internet of Things (IoT), wearable devices, natural language processing
(NLP) and other machine learning techniques) to improve existing resources must
be more actively explored and supported.
