PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 2:03 PM by Luigi

Nutrition counseling in Pohnpei

From Dr Lois Englberger: We would like to share with you the article printed in the July 19-August 1, 2006 Kaselehlie Press (local newspaper) related to our project with the Community of Mand. Thank you all in Mand for your good teamwork and thank you Amy for writing the article! Lois

Counseling Conducted in Mand on Nutrition and Health

By Amy Levendusky

From May 9th through July 13th, Pelihna Moses from Mand and Amy Levendusky of the Island Food Community of Pohnpei (IFCP) spent 6 days in Mand visiting a total of 39 families. Mand families received counseling on vitamin A deficiency, diabetes, and dental hygiene. Counseling was initiated in Mand based on findings from the project entitled, “Pohnpeian Traditional Food for Health”, sponsored by the IFCP. During April through July 2005, vitamin A status in mothers and their children, fasting blood sugar in adults and dental hygiene in children were evaluated.

Around thirty-one percent of the 57 children (age 2-10 years) tested in Mand were vitamin A deficient. This is over twice the cut-off for a problem of public health significance, which is 15%, showing how serious the problem here is. Lack of vitamin A in the body can cause night blindness, partial or total blindness, it can make respiratory diseases like pneumonia worse, and it can increase the risk of infections especially among children. The mothers of those children found to be Vitamin A deficient, were advised that yellow-fleshed local foods such as the Karat and Daiwang bananas, giant swamp taro, pandanus, ripe mango, ripe papaya, pumpkin, sweet potato, and dark leafy greens such as pele, kangkong, and chaya are high in pro-vitamin A carotenoids (the substance which turns into Vitamin A in the body) and should be eaten everyday. Rice and bread have no Vitamin A or provitamin A carotenoids and should be eaten with Vitamin A rich food. Also fish liver is an excellent source of vitamin A.

Out of 84 males and 85 females tested for their fasting blood sugar, a total of 41 new cases of possible diabetes were identified. Those people who were found to have high fasting blood sugar levels were advised to eat three balanced meals a day at regular times. They were also encouraged to choose foods low in fat and sugar and high in fiber. Alcohol should also be limited. Along with eating healthy, it is important to exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes each time.

At the time of the dental screening, it was found that out of 85 children between the ages of 1 to 14, only 3 had healthy teeth. Most children had several cavities, up to 16 cavities per child. The mothers of those children were advised that it is very important to take care of the baby teeth because if they become damaged, it can affect the health of their children’s permanent teeth. They were also encouraged to take their children to the Pohnpei Dental Division to have the damaged teeth treated.

IFCP thanks the Mand community and our collaborating partners and support agencies, including the Pohnpei Office of Economic Affairs, Departments of Health and Education, Department of Land and Natural Resources, COM/FSM Land Grant, Natural Resource Conservation Service, CINE, CDC, Sight and Life, New Zealand, German and Australian Embassies, the Global Environmental Fund, and Pacific German Regional Forestry Project (PGRFP).

Lois Englberger, PhD
Island Food Community of Pohnpei
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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This weblog documents the activities of Pacific Agricultural Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN), along with other information on plant genetic resources (PGR) in the Pacific. The myriad varieties found within cultivated plants are fundamental to the present and future productivity of agriculture. PAPGREN, which is coordinated by the Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), helps Pacific countries and territories to conserve their crop genetic diversity sustainably, with technical assistance from the Bioversity International (BI) and support from NZAID and ACIAR. SPC also hosts the Centre of Pacific Crops and Trees (CEPaCT). The CEPaCT maintains regional in vitro collections of crops important to the Pacific and carries out research on tissue culture technology. The CEPaCT Adviser is Dr Mary Taylor (MaryT@spc.int), the CEPaCT Curator is Ms Valerie Tuia (ValerieT@spc.int). 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Box 77 Nausori Fiji Islands Tel: (679) 3477044 Fax: (679) 3477546-400262 Email: apisainu@yahoo.com Dr Maurice Wong Service du Developpement Rural B.P. 100 Papeete Tahiti 98713 French Polynesia Tel: (689) 42 81 44 Fax: (689) 42 08 31 Email: maurice.wong@rural.gov.pf Mr Tianeti Beenna Ioane Head, Research Section Division of Agriculture Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development P.O. Box 267 Tarawa Kiribati Tel: (686) 28096-28108-28080 Fax: (686) 28121 Email : agriculture@tskl.net.ki; Beenna_ti@yahoo.com Mr Frederick Muller Secretary Ministry of Resources & Development P.O. Box 1727 Majuro 96960 Marshall Islands Tel: (692) 6253206 Fax: (692) 6257471 Email: rndsec@ntamar.net Mr Herman Francisco Director Bureau of Agriculture Ministry of Resources & Development P.O. Box 460 Koror 96940 Palau Tel: (680) 4881517 Fax: (680) 4881725 Email: bnrd@pnccwg.palaunet.com Ms Rosa Kambuou Principal Scientist PGR NARI Dry Lowlands Programme Laloki Agricultural Research Station P.O. 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DIVA-GIS	Monday, July 31, 2006 Posted 2:03 PM by Luigi Nutrition counseling in Pohnpei From Dr Lois Englberger: We would like to share with you the article printed in the July 19-August 1, 2006 Kaselehlie Press (local newspaper) related to our project with the Community of Mand. Thank you all in Mand for your good teamwork and thank you Amy for writing the article! Lois Counseling Conducted in Mand on Nutrition and Health By Amy Levendusky From May 9th through July 13th, Pelihna Moses from Mand and Amy Levendusky of the Island Food Community of Pohnpei (IFCP) spent 6 days in Mand visiting a total of 39 families. Mand families received counseling on vitamin A deficiency, diabetes, and dental hygiene. Counseling was initiated in Mand based on findings from the project entitled, “Pohnpeian Traditional Food for Health”, sponsored by the IFCP. During April through July 2005, vitamin A status in mothers and their children, fasting blood sugar in adults and dental hygiene in children were evaluated. Around thirty-one percent of the 57 children (age 2-10 years) tested in Mand were vitamin A deficient. This is over twice the cut-off for a problem of public health significance, which is 15%, showing how serious the problem here is. Lack of vitamin A in the body can cause night blindness, partial or total blindness, it can make respiratory diseases like pneumonia worse, and it can increase the risk of infections especially among children. The mothers of those children found to be Vitamin A deficient, were advised that yellow-fleshed local foods such as the Karat and Daiwang bananas, giant swamp taro, pandanus, ripe mango, ripe papaya, pumpkin, sweet potato, and dark leafy greens such as pele, kangkong, and chaya are high in pro-vitamin A carotenoids (the substance which turns into Vitamin A in the body) and should be eaten everyday. Rice and bread have no Vitamin A or provitamin A carotenoids and should be eaten with Vitamin A rich food. Also fish liver is an excellent source of vitamin A. Out of 84 males and 85 females tested for their fasting blood sugar, a total of 41 new cases of possible diabetes were identified. Those people who were found to have high fasting blood sugar levels were advised to eat three balanced meals a day at regular times. They were also encouraged to choose foods low in fat and sugar and high in fiber. Alcohol should also be limited. Along with eating healthy, it is important to exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes each time. At the time of the dental screening, it was found that out of 85 children between the ages of 1 to 14, only 3 had healthy teeth. Most children had several cavities, up to 16 cavities per child. The mothers of those children were advised that it is very important to take care of the baby teeth because if they become damaged, it can affect the health of their children’s permanent teeth. They were also encouraged to take their children to the Pohnpei Dental Division to have the damaged teeth treated. IFCP thanks the Mand community and our collaborating partners and support agencies, including the Pohnpei Office of Economic Affairs, Departments of Health and Education, Department of Land and Natural Resources, COM/FSM Land Grant, Natural Resource Conservation Service, CINE, CDC, Sight and Life, New Zealand, German and Australian Embassies, the Global Environmental Fund, and Pacific German Regional Forestry Project (PGRFP). Lois Englberger, PhD Island Food Community of Pohnpei 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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