Building a community of practice for healthy food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean
In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), a steady increase in the consumption of ultra-processed food with high levels of fat, sugar, and salt has contributed to an adult overweight rate of over 50% and an obesity rate of 23%. Further, in the last 40 years, children’s obesity worldwide has increased ten-fold. The overweight and obesity epidemic in childhood and adolescence will be a major determinant of the future health of large segments of the world’s vulnerable populations. These trends are associated with the increase of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that are among the leading causes of death in almost every country of the LAC region.
This project aims to establish and sustain a community of practice to improve food systems and prevent NCDs in Latin America. It will promote collaborative learning among individuals and organizations involved in the development and use of evidence for improving sustainable, healthy diets across populations. It will reinforce international cooperation, strengthen research and advocacy tools, and establish inter-country and multi-actor knowledge hubs to address common food systems challenges in the region. A strong emphasis on gender analysis will strengthen the quality of research and related policy implications.
A regional strategy to significantly improve standards on front-of-package labeling will be developed as a pilot. Institutions leading sub-regional hubs will coordinate priority knowledge and action lines and collaborate with countries with less experience in order to strengthen multi-actor research and advocacy capacities and policy awareness.
Five institutions, mostly led by women researchers, will launch the regional community of practice: the Brazilian Institute for Consumers’ Defense, the Inter-American Heart Foundation, the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (Chile), the Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (Argentina), and the National Institute of Public Health (Mexico). Each partner has individual strengths and a strong record of achievement in generating evidence, raising public awareness, and influencing policies for healthier food systems.
Project ID
109035
Project Status
Active
End Date
Duration
30 months
IDRC Officer
Roberto Bazzani
Total Funding
CA$ 796,300.00
Location
Mexico
South America
Programs
Climate-Resilient Food Systems
Climate-Resilient Food Systems
Institution Country
Brazil
Project Leader
Ana Paula Bortoletto
Institution
Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor
Institution Website
Institution Country
United States
Project Leader
Beatriz Champagne
Institution
Coalition for Americas' Health, Inc.
Institution Website
Institution Country
Chile
Project Leader
Camila Corvalan
Institution
Corporación para Apoyo de la Investigación Cientifica en Nutrición
Institution
Coalition for Americas' Health
Institution Website
Institution Country
United States
Project Leader
Eugenia Ramos
Institution
Interamerican Heart Foundation, Inc.
Institution Website
Institution
Interamerican Heart Foundation
Institution Website
Institution Country
Argentina
Project Leader
Vilma Irazola
Institution
IECS - Instituto de Efectividad Clinica Y Sanitaria Asociacion Civil
Institution Website
Outputs
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Posibles acciones para avanzar en los resultados esperados planeados : aportes del comité coordinador de Colansa y de miembros participantes en la reunión del 26 de abril de 2022 Report
Author(s): Paula Bortoletto, Ana, Giuberti Coutinho, Janine, Longhi, Lorenza Language: Portuguese |
COLANSA - Web-based library of documents Training Materials
Author(s): Ramos, Eugenia Language: English |
Scorecard diet, overweight and obesity in Latin America and the Caribbean Brief
The InterAmerican Heart Foundation (IAHF) presents here an updated report on the status of obesity and food environment policies and indicators. The present paper is based on a project originally developed in 2017, aimed at an in-depth monitoring of non-communicable diseases (NCD) policies and indicators with a special emphasis on main risk factors tobacco, alcohol, diet, physical activity, and air pollution. Countries that participated in the study were ranked in terms of advances in their policies, with a special critical look from civil society organizations and regional experts on these advances. The data for the study was collected using comprehensive questionnaires submitted to focal points in each participating country who also provided links to the applicable legislation and source data when applicable. The report ranked and discussed the level of implementation and impact of each policy. Author(s): Ramos, Eugenia Language: English |
Towards a community of practice : a way to improve research, advocacy, and policy in health food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean Report
This project aims to establish and sustain a community of practice for healthy food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Its goal is to foster collaborative learning and quality information exchange among different individuals, groups, and organizations involved with research and/or advocacy to provide new forms of engagement and to reinforce international cooperation to promote healthier food systems and prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in LAC. The community of practice (CoP) intends to strengthen research and advocacy tools and regional capacities, enhance regional collaboration and develop strategic directions in food systems through the establishment of inter-country and multi-actor knowledge hubs, to embed gender analysis and promote women empowerment, to implement a regional strategy on front-of-package labeling (FOPL) as a pilot of collaboration for other priority action lines, and to raise public awareness and influence policies on food systems for NCD prevention and to promote healthier food systems in LAC. Author(s): Ramos, Eugenia Language: English |
For a healthy life : Latin American Workshop on NCDs : convening leaders of the Healthy Latin American Coalition - an Initiative of the InterAmerican Heart Foundation Panama, December 2-5, 2019 Report
The InterAmerican Heart Foundation (IAHF) together with its initiative, the coalition named CLAS (Healthy Latin America Coalition in Spanish) carried out a workshop that took place in Panama, December 2nd to 5th, 2019. The workshop’s key objectives were to develop a consensus in critical areas and help set a path forward for the region. Positions were defined in human rights, tobacco control, healthy food systems, reducing alcohol consumption, and integrating people living with NCDs (PLWNCDs) in regional advocacy. A special session with organizations from Central America resulted in an agreement to establish a Central America NCD Alliance. Author(s): Ramos, Eugenia Language: English |
Overweight and obesity trends are worsening in Latin America and the Caribbean Report
The report lists the challenges facing many South American countries that are contributing to issues of overweight and obesity in children. Proposed solutions to these challenges are discussed. Author(s): Ramos, Eugenia Language: English |
Towards a community of practice : evidence-based advocacy and policy change Report
Supporting Colansa, the Community of Practice for healthy food systems, CLAS promoted evidence-based advocacy and policy change. In nine months over 2021-22, we set out to (1) position healthy and sustainable food systems among authorities and stakeholders; (2) support improved interaction between advocates and academics; (3) evaluate public awareness among stakeholders to improve communications; and (4) develop a strategy for reaching policy makers. Methods included group consensus, convening key actors, expert opinion, education for adults, and exploring social listening. To position the topic with authorities, Ministers of Health (MoH) and Finance were added to an electronic platform. MoH received a letter informing them about Colansa and its Manifesto. The “Regional NCD Agenda 2022-2030” included the collaboration with Colansa. To support interactions between advocates and academics, 2 videos and an interactive 2-day virtual session engaged them. The 51 participants discussed challenges of research for policy change, Mexico and Brazil experiences, and communicating research to non-academics. We convened and surveyed communication specialists and explored social listening in Central America showing there was a need for more frequent information and translating science into easy-to-understand concepts. Finally, a policy brief on Front of Package labelling for decision makers was developed responding to frequently asked questions. Author(s): Champagne, Beatriz, Luque, Agustina, Iommi, Carla Language: English |
Informe de actividad 1ª reunión de miembros de Colansa 2022 Informes
Author(s): Paula Bortoletto, Ana, Giuberti Coutinho, Janine, Longhi, Lorenza Language: Spanish |
Formulario de membresía de Colansa - persona física Brief
Author(s): Paula Bortoletto, Ana, Giuberti Coutinho, Janine, Longhi, Lorenza Language: Portuguese |
Marco conceptual y político : Comunidad de Práctica Latinoamérica y Caribe Nutrición y Salud Informes
Author(s): Paula Bortoletto, Ana, Giuberti Coutinho, Janine, Longhi, Lorenza Language: Spanish |
WWF Global Action Platform for Sustainable Consumption and Diets : final report appendixes 11 to 20 - Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor Paper
This document is a script for the speakers in the WWF Global Action Platform for Sustainable Consumption and Diets meeting. Author(s): Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor Language: English |
WHO Noncommunicable Disease Lab (NCD Lab) : online submission form questions Brief
The NCD Lab is a virtual initiative, a platform, that supports and encourages submission of innovative solutions to accelerate progress towards achieving the NCD and NCD related sustainable development goals (SDGs). This document contains the questions that are included in the online submission form. Author(s): Paula Bortoletto, Ana, Giuberti Coutinho, Janine, Longhi, Lorenza Language: English |
Relatório Colansa Twitter : Fevereiro – Agosto 2021 Report
Author(s): Paula Bortoletto, Ana, Giuberti Coutinho, Janine, Longhi, Lorenza Language: Portuguese |
Consulta - comunidad de practica en Latinoamerica y Caribe nutrición y salud Documentos
Author(s): Bortoletto, Ana Paula, Coutinho, Janine Giuberti, Longhi, Lorenza Longhi ,, Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor Language: Spanish |
Documento de gobernanza de la comunidad de práctica Latinoamérica y Caribe nutrición y salud (Colansa) Informe
Author(s): Paula Bortoletto, Ana, Giuberti Coutinho, Janine, Longhi, Lorenza Language: Spanish |
Informe anual 2021-2022 Informes
Author(s): Paula Bortoletto, Ana, Giuberti Coutinho, Janine, Longhi, Lorenza Language: Spanish |
Relatório anual 2021–2022 Report
Author(s): Giuberti Coutinho, Janine, Longhi, Lorenza, Paula Bortoletto, Ana Language: Portuguese |
Towards a community of practice : a way to improve research, advocacy and policy in healthy food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean Report
This project aimed to create a Community of Practice to strengthen research and advocacy tools and regional capacities in the field of healthy diets, non communicable diseases prevention, health promotion and sustainable food systems, by fostering collaboration and cooperation among correlated sectors, across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC region). This final report presents considerations about the activities developed by all institutions included in the project, highlighting those related to the construction of Colansa's governance and institutional development. Colansa was launched in March 2021, and has organized 8 member meetings, online consultations, and open spaces for interactions among the members. Until July 2022, 20 organizations and 169 individuals are members. The activities and strategies developed by all partners played a key role in establishing common values and visions about what we aspire to as food systems that promote health, contribute to the environment and social justice in the region. By developing the capacity building sessions, it was possible to strengthen research and advocacy tools and regional capacities to address the priority action lines of the CoP. The elaboration of the conceptual framework on gender perspective for projects contributed to embed gender analysis and promote women empowerment as part of the regional research and advocacy agenda of the CoP. A series of advocacy and communication activities were developed in order to improve a regional strategy on front-of-package nutrition labeling, as a model of collaboration for other priority action lines. Colansa shares the understanding that structural changes are needed in food systems and that the LAC region has great potential to contribute regarding public policy innovation. Colansa is becoming an active and knowledgeable community, bringing relevant topics for discussion and subsequent propositions of strategies, insights, experiences, synergistic opportunities and useful connections for diverse, but related stakeholders. Author(s): Mais, Laís Amaral, Longhi, Lorenza, Martins, Ana Paula Bortoletto, Rigi, Camilla, Coutinho, Janine Giuberti Language: English |
| Towards a community of practice : a way to improve research, advocacy and policy in healthy food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean Report
Author(s): Mais, Amaral Laís, Longhi, Lorenza, Martins, Ana Paula Bortoletto, Rigi, Camilla, Coutinho, Janine Giuberti |
Towards a community of practice : a way to improve research, advocacy and policy in healthy food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean Report
This project aims to establish and sustain a community of practice for healthy food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean to encourage collaborative learning and quality information exchange among different individuals, groups and organizations involved with research and/or advocacy. The goal is to provide new forms of engagement and networking and to reinforce international cooperation to promote healthier food systems and prevent non‐communicable diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This report outlines the project’s rationale, objectives, methodology, and outputs. Author(s): Irazola, Vilma, Elorriaga, Natalia Language: English |
Towards a community of practice : a way to improve research, advocacy and policy in healthy food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean (final report CIAPEC-INTA team) Report
The current project had the objective of creating a community of practice to strengthen research and advocacy tools and regional capacities, enhance collaboration across the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region. We report in specific of the sub-objective of creating the Front-of-Package labelling hub as the first experience to organize priority lines of the community. We have +50 participants of the hub from several countries and professions and conducted 4 meetings over 10 months. Using a participatory approach, we were able to develop norms and objectives of the hub, discuss and participate in relevant regional discussions on the topic, including a research conference, seminars, and technical meetings; we created research and advocacy tools, and we are in the process of generating a with a multi-country data set on food composition. The work of the hub involved students and as a hub we actively participated in activities of capacity building such as the Leadership Program in Nutrition. We believe this experience builds the foundations for creating new hubs in the community of practice in the next years and shows that it is possible to establish inter-country and multi-actor knowledge hubs to work together with advocates on critical topics for promoting food systems transformation in the region. Author(s): Ortega, Alejandra, Toleantino, Lizbeth, Corvalán, Camila Language: English |