During the Annual Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Society of Nutrition in Kaduna, 15- 19 November, Choices presented social safety nets such as school feeding programs as one of the most cost-effective and efficient WHO’s double-duty actions, to address the double burden of malnutrition. Standards should be developed that takes into account micronutrient deficiencies as well as upper limits for fat, sugar and salt, to serve as a benchmark for school food procurement and possibly to ban unhealthy food from the school environment.
The study on the double burden of malnutrition by Choices, which is being translated into a project with the National Home Grown School Feeding Program (NHGSFP) in Nigeria, provided nutritional gaps in the nutrient targets for the NHGSFP. Subsequently, how school meals can be complemented with fortified food products by food companies, including SMEs to increase their nutritional value to meet national targets. You can find the Choices presentation here.
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