A regional food and nutritional surveillance system in southern France : Relevance and feasibility

The French southern region Languedoc-Roussillon has long had the advantage of lower mortality rates of non-communicable diseases. However recent trends show rapid changes. At the same time, this region is undergoing important modifications in terms of socioeconomic environment, lifestyle and eating patterns. According to a recent survey, the consumption of traditional Mediterranean diet is diminishing, being replaced by unhealthier eating patterns. Adult obesity prevalence now reaches almost 10%, and childhood overweight is on the rise (10.6% in 1999-2000, 15.5% in 2000-2001 in 10-12 yr-olds). Confronted with this situation whose stakes are as much sanitary as economical and political, local researchers took the initiative to design a regional food and nutritional surveillance system, in order to provide regional decision-makers and other actors with relevant information on the nutritional status of the population and its various determinants. Tools for advocacy were developed (leaflets, meetings) and users were identified. A participative method was used to reach a consensus on probable causal models of the most relevant regional public health problems (obesity, cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer). Basic indicators for surveillance were chosen based on whether they could be modified by public health interventions. Available data were introduced in a database and then transformed into information accessible to users (internet site). As decisions on health and lifestyle patterns of the regional population are taken on both a national and regional level, surveillance on both levels is essential to reinforce the capacity to influence decisionmakers in a coherent direction accounting for regional particularities and to facilitate monitoring of nutrition interventions at all levels. The relevance and feasibility of such a system were acknowledged during the last regional health conference and decision-makers and others users are all currently investigating the best way to ensure its sustainability. (Texte intégral)

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Le Bihan, Geneviève, Delpeuch, Francis, Maire, M., Padilla, Martine, Bricas, Nicolas, Dormont, Anne-Sophie, Gerber, Mariette, Ledésert, Bernard, Oberti, Bénédicte, Nunes, J.
Format:	article biblioteca
Language:	eng
Subjects:	S01 - Nutrition humaine - Considérations générales, consommation alimentaire, évolution, surveillance, comportement alimentaire, santé publique, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3016, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2745, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4911, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2840, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6349, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3081, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4188,
Online Access:	http://agritrop.cirad.fr/515813/
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