An Eight-Stage Process for National Nutrition Development

Abstract

In the context of the eight major themes proclaimed at the Rome meeting of the International Conference on Nutrition in 1992, an eight-stage process incorporated thematic components into the development agendas of developing nations. The eight progressive stages, which are presented here in the context of Thailand's experiences, are recognition that nutrition is a national (or community) problem, a systematic national (community) nutrition assessment, building a critical mass around prime movers, gaining political and social commitment, taking concrete steps toward creating intersectoral collaboration and planning, expanding awareness and initiating action, integrating nutrition into social and health development efforts, and designing programmes that improve people's quality of life by involving community members as agents of change, not simply passive receivers of government services.

Comparison of attitudes towards school lunch by elementary school children in Japan, Korea and Thailand

“…The school lunch programme in Thailand has actually improved the health of Thai school children. 11 However, a fairly large number of children in Thailand did not 12 Table 3 Attitudes towards teachers and school mates finish lunch and thus lacked the nutrients they need. Thai teachers must place greater emphasis on the importance of the programme and give more nutritional education to the children.…”

Comparison of attitudes towards school lunch by elementary school children in Japan, Korea and Thailand

“…The school lunch programme in Thailand has actually improved the health of Thai school children 11 . However, a fairly large number of children in Thailand did not finish lunch and thus lacked the nutrients they need.…”

The Practice of Public Nutrition: Key Contributors and the Need for a Shared Understanding of the Problems

“…The forms that public action can take in each situation will likely depend on the objectives pursued and the existing social balances of power. It also evolves over time, as clearly shown in the experience of Thailand [9]. What is clear is that "the public" represents an extremely heterogeneous compound of institutions and very diverse and often conflicting interests.…”

“…Given the fairly accepted view that the resolution of problems leading to nutritional deprivation is a straightforward public-interest issue, Drèze and Sen [6], in their important treatise "Hunger and Public Action," ably argue for the need for several forms of public action if these problems are to be confronted effectively. The results of recent analysis of progress in reducing malnutrition [7] or in implementing successful community-based nutrition-oriented programmes [8] and, more specifically, analysis of the exceptional progress achieved in Thailand [9] suggest that Drèze and Sen's conclusions on "public action" are relevant to improving the practice of public nutrition. Although the government frequently comes to mind as responsible for such "public action," and relevant government sectors certainly cannot be excluded, public action is a great deal more than activities of the state; it also goes beyond the still prevailing political debate regarding stateversus-private sector action.…”