PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 2:02 PM by Luigi

Sight and Life Team Film Nutrition Video in Pohnpei

Sight and Life, a humanitarian initiative of the DSM Nutritional Products Ltd. based in Switzerland, has just visited Pohnpei from 10-27 April, 2006, to film a documentary about the nutrition problems in Micronesia and efforts underway for alleviating these problems. Their visit was coordinated by the Island Food Community of Pohnpei.

Dr. Klaus Kraemer, head of Sight and Life, and Mr. Thomas Breisach, deputy head of the DSM Nutritional Products communications section, made up the DSM Nutritional Products team. They were in Pohnpei from 21-27 April, 2006. Ulla Lohmann, filmmaker, and her camera assistant Markus Hain, engaged as consultants, were in Pohnpei from 10-27 April, 2006.

The purpose of the film is to develop a documentary about global nutrition problems, including micronutrient deficiencies and nutrition- and lifestyle-related chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Dr. Kraemer pointed out that Pohnpei is an example of a country having the double burden of malnutrition, the problem of micronutrient deficiency such as vitamin A deficiency, and the problem of overweight and chronic diseases. He said, ”No one would expect that on an island in the Pacific that there are the nutrition problems of both the developing and industrialized countries.”

Over half of Pohnpei children have vitamin A deficiency, a disorder leading to increased infection and mortality. Coupled with this, there are serious problems of obesity and chronic diseases in Pohnpei, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, leading to higher rates of mortality and great suffering among families and individuals.

The group filmed the beauty spots of Pohnpei, including the lush Pohnpei landscape, historical site of Nan Madol, water scenes, and cultural events, first portraying aspects of the paradise concept that many people in other parts of the world have about life on a Pacific island.

The team then filmed aspects of the real-life situation relating to food, nutrition and health, and efforts to improve the nutritional problems. These included the Pilot Farm in Madolenihmw led by Pohnpei Agriculture of the Economic Affairs, the Mand Traditional Foods for Health project and Planting and Weight Loss Competition led by IFCP, Mr. Sei Uemoto and his plans to develop increased marketing of Karat banana and other local foods, the Youth to Youth project with Class 4 of Mand Elementary School, Pohnpei Library Week along their theme of “GO LOCAL” and the vitamin A supplementation program led by the Pohnpei Department of Health.

Sight and Life has provided on-going assistance for many years to the Federated States of Micronesia, including: research on the nutrient content of local island foods, and vitamin A awareness materials, such as posters and the recent video titled GOING YELLOW, which has often been shown on Channel 6 local television. This was prepared last year 2005, as a project initiated and supported by Sight and Life, in conjunction with the Island Food Community of Pohnpei and produced by Micronesian Seminar.

Adelino Lorens, Chairman of IFCP and Pohnpei Chief of Agriculture, warmly welcomed the team to Pohnpei, during a special luncheon held for the team along with IFCP board members on Wednesday 26 April, 2006, at the Pohnpei Agriculture office in the Botanical Garden. He thanked the Sight and Life team, on behalf of IFCP and all its partner agencies.

Thanks are extended to the agencies providing assistance to the Sight and Life visit including the Pacific German Regional Forestry Project, for providing transport.

Lois Englberger, PhD
P. O. Box 2299
Kolonia, Pohnpei 96941 FM
Tel: 691-320-8639 Fax: 691-320-4647
Website: http://www.islandfood.org



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DIVA-GIS	Sunday, April 30, 2006 Posted 2:02 PM by Luigi Sight and Life Team Film Nutrition Video in Pohnpei Sight and Life, a humanitarian initiative of the DSM Nutritional Products Ltd. based in Switzerland, has just visited Pohnpei from 10-27 April, 2006, to film a documentary about the nutrition problems in Micronesia and efforts underway for alleviating these problems. Their visit was coordinated by the Island Food Community of Pohnpei. Dr. Klaus Kraemer, head of Sight and Life, and Mr. Thomas Breisach, deputy head of the DSM Nutritional Products communications section, made up the DSM Nutritional Products team. They were in Pohnpei from 21-27 April, 2006. Ulla Lohmann, filmmaker, and her camera assistant Markus Hain, engaged as consultants, were in Pohnpei from 10-27 April, 2006. The purpose of the film is to develop a documentary about global nutrition problems, including micronutrient deficiencies and nutrition- and lifestyle-related chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Dr. Kraemer pointed out that Pohnpei is an example of a country having the double burden of malnutrition, the problem of micronutrient deficiency such as vitamin A deficiency, and the problem of overweight and chronic diseases. He said, ”No one would expect that on an island in the Pacific that there are the nutrition problems of both the developing and industrialized countries.” Over half of Pohnpei children have vitamin A deficiency, a disorder leading to increased infection and mortality. Coupled with this, there are serious problems of obesity and chronic diseases in Pohnpei, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, leading to higher rates of mortality and great suffering among families and individuals. The group filmed the beauty spots of Pohnpei, including the lush Pohnpei landscape, historical site of Nan Madol, water scenes, and cultural events, first portraying aspects of the paradise concept that many people in other parts of the world have about life on a Pacific island. The team then filmed aspects of the real-life situation relating to food, nutrition and health, and efforts to improve the nutritional problems. These included the Pilot Farm in Madolenihmw led by Pohnpei Agriculture of the Economic Affairs, the Mand Traditional Foods for Health project and Planting and Weight Loss Competition led by IFCP, Mr. Sei Uemoto and his plans to develop increased marketing of Karat banana and other local foods, the Youth to Youth project with Class 4 of Mand Elementary School, Pohnpei Library Week along their theme of “GO LOCAL” and the vitamin A supplementation program led by the Pohnpei Department of Health. Sight and Life has provided on-going assistance for many years to the Federated States of Micronesia, including: research on the nutrient content of local island foods, and vitamin A awareness materials, such as posters and the recent video titled GOING YELLOW, which has often been shown on Channel 6 local television. This was prepared last year 2005, as a project initiated and supported by Sight and Life, in conjunction with the Island Food Community of Pohnpei and produced by Micronesian Seminar. Adelino Lorens, Chairman of IFCP and Pohnpei Chief of Agriculture, warmly welcomed the team to Pohnpei, during a special luncheon held for the team along with IFCP board members on Wednesday 26 April, 2006, at the Pohnpei Agriculture office in the Botanical Garden. He thanked the Sight and Life team, on behalf of IFCP and all its partner agencies. Thanks are extended to the agencies providing assistance to the Sight and Life visit including the Pacific German Regional Forestry Project, for providing transport. Lois Englberger, PhD P. O. Box 2299 Kolonia, Pohnpei 96941 FM Tel: 691-320-8639 Fax: 691-320-4647 Website: http://www.islandfood.org * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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