January 11, 1999

New Year Challenge

Entering the New Year of 1999 is an event in itself that makes us look back at what we achieved in IUNS and what we desire to accomplish. Nutrition is becoming more and more a discipline that is engaged in all sectors of human life. The generation of knowledge on human nutrition attributed the human performance as an outcome of balanced diet. Cognition, growth, reproduction and immunological competence are all effected by nutrition.  IUNS encourages all scientist; that contribute to new knowledge. The IUNS, as an organization bonding adhering bodies from all over the world, acts as a sole catalyst for furthering research in priority issues and training professionals in the field of nutrition in developing countries.

This year, the IUNS will be engaged in four main activities to which task forces have been designated and actually started their activities parallel to committee already established.

The first task force is on Informatics Nutrition and Electronic Communication which is expected to advance communications amongst/with adhering bodies and to better transfer and discussion of nutrition activities.

The second task force was to organize in collaboration with the FAO and UNU the 3rd International Food Data Case conference , July 5-7, 1999 in Rome, Italy. The establishment of a Food Data Base is still and remains to be considered an important data base for analyzing food in different countries in the world.

Osman Galal, M.D., Ph.D.
Secretary General, IUNS
e-mail: ogalal@ucla.edu.au