[pronut-hiv] Nutrition-Friendly Schools Initiative (NFSI)

["ProNut-HIV" <pronut-hiv@healthnet.org>]

Nutrition-Friendly Schools Initiative (NFSI)

Nutrition-related health problems in children are increasingly
significant causes of disability and premature death worldwide. While
undernutrition continues to be a major problem in many developing
countries, the problem of overweight and obesity have reached epidemic
proportions globally, and both developed and developing countries are
seriously affected. In some countries, the epidemic of obesity sits
alongside continuing problems of undernutrition, creating a
double-burden of nutrition-related ill health among the population,
including children.

Based on the principle that effectively addressing the increasing
global public health problem of the double-burden of nutrition-related
ill-health requires common policy options, the Nutrition-Friendly
Schools Initiative (NFSI) has been developed as follow-up to the WHO
Expert Meeting on Childhood Obesity (Kobe, 20-24 June 2005).

The main aim of the NFSI is to provide a framework for designing
integrated school-based intervention programmes which address the
double-burden of nutrition-related ill health, building on and
inter-connecting the on-going work of various agencies and partners.
These include the FRESH Initiative, Essential Package (UNICEF/WFP),
Child-Friendly Schools (UNICEF), Health Promoting Schools (WHO), School
Food and Nutrition Education programmes (FAO) to mention just a few.
NFSI applies the concept and principles of the Baby-friendly Hospital
Initiative (BFHI).

Improving the nutritional status of school-age children is an effective
investment for the future generation. Pre-schools and schools offer many
opportunities to promote healthy dietary and physical activity patterns
for children and are also a potential access point for engaging parents
and community members in preventing child malnutrition in all its forms
(i.e. undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity & other
nutrition-related chronic diseases). The universality of the school
setting for gaining access to children makes it highly relevant to
global efforts to combat the increasing public health problems of the
double-burden of nutrition-related ill health.

Contact address:

Department of Nutrition for Health and Development (NHD) 
Nutrition-Friendly Schools Initiative (NFSI)
World Health Organization
20, Avenue Appia
CH - 1211 Geneva 27 
Switzerland
email:NFSI@who.int 
Fax: + 41.22.791.4156