Zero Hunger
INTRODUCTION:
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 aims
to ensure food security and find long-term
solutions to abolish all types of hunger by
2030. The goal is to guarantee that everyone
worldwide can access enough wholesome
food to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Better food
access and extensive promotion of sustainable
agriculture are necessary to meet this goal. It is
estimated that 690 million people, or 8.9 percent
of the world’s population, are undernourished.
By 2030, there will be more than 840 million
hungry people worldwide, or 9.8 percent of the
entire population, if current trends continue.
In the 2020 report “The State of Food Security
and Nutrition in the World,” FAO estimates that
189.2 million people in India are malnourished,
accounting for 14% of the Indian population.
Additionally, 51.4% of women between the
ages of 15 and 49 are anaemic. The report also
states that 20% of children under five in India
suffer from wasting, and 34.7% are stunted.
Malnourished children show a high mortality
risk from common illnesses like diarrhoea,
pneumonia, and malaria. India is ranked 101
out of 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index
2020 based on the prevalence of stunting and
wasting in children, the mortality rate of children
under the age of 5, and the percentage of the
population who is malnourished.
Zero Hunger campaign on the Nitte University
campus inspires action to mitigate food wastage
on campus. Through moderated discussions
with university students using various methods
of communication such as art, invention and
innovation, students motivate their peers to
join the movement of Zero Hunger. Also, the
emphasis is that campus food options should
be sustainable, nutrient-dense, and inexpensive.
Campus food production and fresh food markets
on campus are practised and encouraged.
World Food Safety Day Oration 2021
As a multidisciplinary University offering a
“master” Programme in Food Safety and
Biotechnology, Nitte University in Mangalore
considered it very important to highlight the
importance of food safety by celebrating World Food Safety Day on June 7 2021. The event was
organized by Dr Iddya Karunasagar, Adviser
(Research & Patents), Nitte (DU), and moderated
by Dr Indrani Karunasagar, Director, DST NU-
TEC, Nitte (DU).
Professor Alan Reilly, the former CEO of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, delivered an
inspirational speech that served as the event’s
high point. In his speech, Professor Reilly
discussed “Strengthening National Food Safety
Systems - Challenges in the era of Covid-19. He
outlined the theme of 2021 World Food Safety
Day, “Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow”,
and explained how food safety is a shared
responsibility of all operators in the food chain
from primary production to final consumption.
Food safety challenges during COVID-19,
particularly with evidence emerging regarding
the role of aerosols in the spread of SARS-CoV2,
were elaborated, and the associated risks to food
processing personnel. However, he emphasized
that food has not been implicated in the
transmission of COVID-19. In addition, Professor
Reilly addressed the need to use a One Health
strategy to handle food safety issues in light of
the rising zoonotic diseases as a significant public
health concern. He made a passing reference
to the necessity of the One Health approach in
minimizing antimicrobial resistance.
Eat healthy: Diabetic Diet Program Jacob, Adjunct Professor, Central Research Lab,
KSHEMA, Nitte (DU), resource persons presented
excellent insights into how simply eating the
healthiest food in moderation and sticking to
regular mealtimes can help control diabetes.
The topics covered in the discussion included
how human dietary habits evolved and their
effects, reasons for the escalation of diabetes
amongst Indians, Diabetic diet foods, plans, and
recipes. They emphasized the significance of a
Nitte Centre for Integrative Medicine and
Research (NU-CIMR) organized a three-day
online workshop on the ‘Diabetic Diet Program’
from July 13 to July 15 2021. The workshop’s
objective was to increase public awareness of
dietary interventions, diabetic-friendly food,
diabetic menu plan, and diabetic diet recipes.
Dr. Arun Thejaus KP, Asst. Professor and in-
charge, NU-CIMR, Nitte (DU), and Dr Praveen
While welcoming the gathering, the Vice
Chancellor of Nitte (DU), Prof Dr Satheesh Kumar
Bhandary, highlighted the measures to ensure
that safe and nutritious food is delivered to the
students residing in hostels on the University
campus. The oration was attended by faculty,
students, food industry representatives, and
scientists from other disciplines across the
country.
https://www.fao.org/fao-who-
codexalimentarius/news-and-events/news
details/en/c/1411451/
Eat healthy: Diabetic Diet Program
Nitte Centre for Integrative Medicine and
Research (NU-CIMR) organized a three-day
online workshop on the ‘Diabetic Diet Program’
from July 13 to July 15 2021. The workshop’s
objective was to increase public awareness of
dietary interventions, diabetic-friendly food,
diabetic menu plan, and diabetic diet recipes.
Dr. Arun Thejaus KP, Asst. Professor and in-
charge, NU-CIMR, Nitte (DU), and Dr Praveen Jacob, Adjunct Professor, Central Research Lab,
KSHEMA, Nitte (DU), resource persons presented
excellent insights into how simply eating the
healthiest food in moderation and sticking to
regular mealtimes can help control diabetes.
The topics covered in the discussion included
how human dietary habits evolved and their
effects, reasons for the escalation of diabetes
amongst Indians, Diabetic diet foods, plans, and
recipes. They emphasized the significance of a Diabetic diet plan involving key elements such
as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, plant-based
proteins, fat, and calorie reduction in diabetic
management. These sessions gave diabetes
patients, risk groups, and caregivers a wealth of
information.
Eat right: We are what we eatThe NSS and the Dental Education Units of AB
Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences
conducted a guest lecture by Nutritionist Mrs
Jayalaxmi Shenoy from Bangalore titled “EAT
RIGHT: WE ARE WHAT WE EAT” on 15.09.2021
at Avishkar Hall. The program was conducted
as part of the Poshan Maah Calendar 2021 -
Converging towards a healthy walk through
life, as directed by the Government of India,
NITI Aayog’s, POSHAN Abhiyaan or National
Nutrition Mission from 1st to 30th September
2021.
Dr Kumuda Rao, Program Officer, NSS unit, was
the MC. The program began with a prayer by
Dr Aruna Kamath invoking the divine blessings
of the Almighty. Dr Supriya Bhat introduced
the speaker. The program was presided over
by Prof. Dr US Krishna Nayak, Principal & Dean.
Dr Rahul Bhandary addressed the gathering.
Dr Biju Thomas presented the memento to the
speaker. Dr Avaneendra Talwar proposed the
vote of thanks. The program concluded with the
National Anthem.
National Nutrition Week Celebration
National Nutrition
Poshan Maah”National Nutrition Mission “Rashtriya Poshan
Maah” was observed on September 30 2021.
The program aimed to create awareness about society’s nutritional levels and imbibe a sense of
social responsibility, inclusion, and volunteerism.
Students were asked to donate food grains and
vegetables to the needy. The children of nearby
government schools received the donations of
goods that were thus gathered. Students of Class
8 exhibited different food items that are used in
our day-to-day life and were briefed about the
nutritional as well as medicinal value of each.
Students were taken on a field trip around the
campus to study medicinal plants and their uses.
World Food Day 2021- Our Actions are Our
Future
A virtual course on Microbiological Risk Assessment in Food Safety
Nitte Deemed to be University and the University
of Maryland, USA jointly delivered the American
Society for Microbiology (ASM)-Indo-US Science
& Technology Forum (IUSSTF) Virtual Course on
“Microbiological Risk Assessment in Food Safety”
from 13th to 17th December 2021. The week-
long course was part of the approved activities
under the ASM-IUSSTF Professorship awarded to
Dr Abani Pradhan of the University of Maryland.
The programme was coordinated by Dr Iddya
Karunasagar, Adviser (Research & Patents), Nitte
(DU), Dr Indrani Karunasagar, Director, DST
NU-TEC, Nitte (DU), and Dr Mamatha B, Asst.
Professor, NUCSER The ASM-IUSSF-sponsored
course consisted of lectures on risk assessment
models, Monte Carlo simulations, and the
development of risk estimates. Dr Abani Pradhan delivered several lectures on these aspects. In
contrast, Dr Iddya Karunasagar (a former FAO
Senior Food Safety Officer) delivered lectures to
illustrate how risk assessments have been used
to develop International Food Safety Standards
by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The course attracted 324 registered participants
that included faculty and students from Nitte
(DU), Pondicherry University, Indian Agricultural
Research Institute, Indian Council of Agricultural
Research, State Fisheries Universities in Tamil
Nadu and Kerala, National Aquatic Resources
Research and Development Agency (NARA), Sri
Lanka, Food Safety and Standards Authority of
India and number of other academic institutions
in India.
Sustainable Development Goal- Lecture
Series POSHAN- Food be thy medicine and
medicine be thy food
Sustainable development goals (SDG) are a
collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed
to be a “blueprint for achieving a better and
more sustainable future for all.” Therefore,
aspiring medical professionals must improve
education that focuses on the SDGs. Focusing on
the health aspects of the goals, Nitte (Deemed
to be University) conducted a lecture series
on the SDG. The Department of Public Health,
KSHEMA, in collaboration with the Department
of Prosthodontics, ABSMIDS, hosted a webinar
called POSHAN. “Food is thy medicine and
medicine be thy food” was the theme for the
event.The webinar was held live on YouTube from
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM on November 10, 2021,
and received over 600 views. The opening
remarks were given by Prof (Dr) Alka Kulkarni,
Registrar, Nitte (Deemed to be University). The
speech discussed the need for healthy diets
and their connection with health outcomes.
In the modern world, consumerist behaviour
took a significant share in food habits, mainly
served with high-calorie and fatty food. This
behaviour is significantly visible in the morbidity
charts. Non-communicable diseases are the
main after-effects of this lifestyle. She reminded
every youngster of physical exercise and
mental stability through meaningful speech.
The prevalence of metabolic disease and age-
related disorders has dramatically increased due
to the modern lifestyle, which is defined by an imbalanced diet, inadequate physical activity,
and environmental contaminants.
The topic was explained by Dr Arun Thejus,
Associate professor and in charge of the Nitte
Centre for Integrative Medicine and Research,
where he mentioned the relation of the food
habits of homo sapiens to anthropology.
The “Role of the gut microbiome in health &
diseases” session was an eye-opener to know
the importance of fibre-rich food in human
existence. Microbes have the power to influence
our physiology, both in health and disease,
significantly. They contribute to metabolic
processes, provide defence against pathogens,
train the immune system and, through these
fundamental processes, influence most of our
physiologic processes directly or indirectly. There
is a drastic change in nutrition intake in homo
sapiens. In ancient times, human nutrition intake
was rich in micro and macronutrients. After the
agricultural revolution, the scenario changed only
to carbohydrate-rich food supplements, mainly
rice, wheat, and other crops. The epidemiological
transition is evident from communicable to non-
communicable diseases.
“Let thy food be thy medicine” quote by
Hippocrates emphasizes nutrition in curing
diseases. The most successful example is the
association between an unhealthy diet and
chronic diseases like obesity, cardiovascular
diseases, type 2 diabetes, and co-morbidities.
And on the other hand, the association of a
healthy diet decreases the risk of conditions
like osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, depression,
etc. The transition is clear from the change
of eras from the Paleolithic to Mesolithic to
Neolithic ages. As per the shreds of evidence, life
expectancy and standard of living have gained
significance, resulting in the Industrial revolution.
The calorie intake should be managed with
appropriate p hysical activities and a controlled
diet. The session clarified the distribution of
bacteria in the body and how to manage it. Dr
Arun explained the works of the Nitte Centre
for Integrative Medicine and Research and its
contribution to the Nitte (DU).
Ms Shifa Hegde delivered the vote of thanks
to concluding the programme. More emphasis
on the SDG indicators was made during the
speech. With a focus on climate change,
urbanization, global warming, and the rising
usage of plastics and fossil fuels, the series’
insights can help listeners lead better lives.
Lecture series on Sustainable Development Goal
Nitte (DU) Technology Transferred
for Commercialization
On February 25 2021, The Technology Transfer
Agreement was signed between Nitte (Deemed
to be University) and M/S Eshanya Beverages for
the commercialization of patented technology
for the production of beverages from betel
leaves. Mr H.S. Sandeep Kumar, Promotor and
Director, Eshanya Beverages, Dr Alka Kulkarni,
Registrar, Nitte (DU), signed the agreement.
The Chancellor of Nitte (DU), Shri Vinay Hegde,
handed over the technology package to Eshanya
Beverages in the presence of Dr Shantharam
Shetty, Shri Vishal Hegde, Pro Chancellors, Dr
Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, Vice Chancellor,
Shri Rajendra, Finance Director; Dr Iddya
Karunasagar, Advisor, Research and Patent; Dr
Indrani Karunasagar, Director, DST NUTEC; Dr Prakash, Dean, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy
and Dr Mamatha, BS, Assistant Professor and
developer of the technology for beverages from
betel leaves. The Department of Science and
Technology (DST) Technology Enabling Center at
Nitte (DU) (NUTEC) has the mandate to facilitate
the development and transfer of technologies
for commercialization. DST NUTEC facilitated
the development of technology for producing
beverages from betel leaves, which are rich
in antioxidants and antimicrobial molecules.
Betel leaves are a natural appetizer, digestive,
mild stimulant, aphrodisiac, and refreshing
mastication. The technology was developed,
favouring the requirements of consumers. Before
being commercially released, the product was
evaluated by a team of organoleptic assessors
and an analytical laboratory. The product is
expected to reach the market in a couple of
months. Thus M/S Eshanya Beverages is also
exploring the overseas market for the products.
Nitte (DU) has several technologies ready
for commercialization in the food industry,
environmental management and aquaculture. The
Vice-Chancellor, Dr Satheesh Kumar Bhandary,
informed that the details of technologies are
available on the Nitte (DU) website, and any
Startup or MSMEs or companies interested in
the technologies may contact the University.
Webinar On World Food Day
DST Technology Enabling Centre in collaboration
with Nitte University Centre for Science Education
and Research organized a webinar on the occasion
of World Food day 2021. The international event
was a clarion call for collective efforts towards
combating issues of hunger, food insecurity and
food wastage. The theme for World Food day
2021 was ‘Our actions are our future’. The key
note speakers for the webinar were Padmashri
Dr S Ayyappan, Former Director General ICAR &
Chairman of Karnataka Science and Technology
Academy, ShriTarun Shridhar, Former secretary,
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and
Dairying, GOI and Dr IddyaKarunasagar, Advisor
(Research & Patents). Dr IndraniKarunasagar
accorded welcome and introduced the speakers
to the audience. Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Nitte
(DU) Prof. Dr Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, in his
opening remarks highlighted the requirement
for collective and comprehensive work to
eradicate hunger and nutritional deficiencies.
Sustainable system is a requirement to tackle
the global hunger index as well as other health
related burden, said Dr S Ayyappan. He spoke
on aspects of better production, nutrition, better
environment for a better life. He discussed the
facts and presented statistics on Indian farming
including strategies to improve it. This could
result in enhancing farmers income through
integrated farming by clustering of land,
climate smart farming, agripreneurship, water
footprint, innovation in water management, use
of low cost technologies, use of nano fertilizers,
production of high value crops, urban agriculture,cultivation floating horticulture, vertical farming,
aquaponics, organic farming, biofortification,
agritourism etc. Dr IddyaKarunasagar former
senior Food Safety Officer, FAO explained about
technical resources and standards available
from FAO, their roles and responsibilities. He
highlighted the various flagship publications
of FAO that covers global data on food sector,
process of scientific risk assessment to set the
food standards, International agreements and
guidelines regarding various aspects of food
sector. Shri Tarun Shridhar reiterated the theme
of the world food day and wanted concerted
action to protect the livestock industry. He
opined that livestock play a major role in the
economic prosperity. To add on, he said livestock
sector runs throughout the year and provides
nutritional security and can also generate value
added products. Yet its role is not recognised
sufficiently.
We are in the period of sustainable development.
Seven of the seventeen goals are pertaining to
agriculture. Food and agriculture is everybody’s
business and food production is the key fuel for
the entire economy. However, one should not
forget carbon footprint that is left for every ton of
food we produce. The dialogue between health
and food sector should improve in bringing
innovative solutions thereby promoting “Make
in India” motto -
Dr S Ayyappan“FAO has been in the forefront in helping countries
to fight hunger and malnutrition, development
of international agreements and guidelines
for sustainable development of agricultural
ecosystem. Codex Alimentarius Commission and
IPPC standards have become almost mandatory
due to the status given to them in WTO and SPS
agreement” -
Dr IddyaKarunasagar
Chronic and acute hunger levels are rising. A
serious introspection of the past actions are
required to tackle this. Livestock sector can play
a crucial role since hunger is still a rising issue.
60% of the dietary protein is from livestock in
developed countries and 23% in developing countries implying lack of nutritious food for
the latter. One needs to understand the big
difference between food and nutrition security”
-
Shri Tarun Shridhar
Breastfeeding Week
As a part of World Breast Feeding Week
Celebration 2022, the Department of Child
Health Nursing, NUINS conducted a Mass
Health Education Program on ‘Breast Feeding’ at
Pandeshwar Government School, Pandeshwar.
The program was held on 6th August 2022 from
10:00 am to 2:00 pm. A health talk on ‘Breast
Feeding’ was given by Mrs. Jeevitha Alva, Asst.
Professor and presentation by Prof. Sujatha R,
Head, Dept. of Child Health Nursing.
The program started with a brief introduction
by Mrs. Anupama, Anganawadi supervisor. Later
the faculty gave health education briefing on
techniques, positions and the importance of
exclusive breastfeeding and clarified doubts.
Handwash and pens were distributed to the
beneficiaries. 10 PB BSc Nursing students & 2
faculty members participated in this program.
Publications
1. Jacob AM, Pruthvish S, Sastry NB, Kunnavil
R, Shankarappa M, Shetty AK. A comparison
of nutritional status between children with
and without disabilities: A community-
based study. J Family Med Prim Care. 2021 Feb;10(2):941-946.
doi:
10.4103/jfmpc.
jfmpc_1464_20. Epub 2021 February 27.
PMID: 34041102; PMCID: PMC8138344.
2. Shetty SS, Kumari NS. Fatty acid desaturase
2 (FADS 2) rs174575 (C/G) polymorphism,
circulating lipid levels and susceptibility
to type-2 diabetes mellitus. Sci Rep. 2021
Jun 23;11(1):13151. doi: 10.1038/s41598-
021-92572-7. PMID: 34162950; PMCID:
PMC8222307.
3. Shetty SS, Kumari S. Fatty acids and their
role in type-2 diabetes (Review). Exp Ther
Med. 2021 Jul;22(1):706. doi: 10.3892/
etm.2021.10138. Epub 2021 May 2. PMID:
34007315; PMCID: PMC8120551.
4. Rai T, Rai M, Dsa J, et al. Impact of seasonal
variation in association with other factors
on vitamin D status among Mangalorean
population. J Evolution Med Dent Sci
2021;10(09):589-594.
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