LATINFOODS: Food composition activities in Latin America (2004–2006)

The Latin American Network of Food Data System (LATINFOODS), as part of the International Network of Food Data Systems (INFOODS), was established in 1984 and has been co-sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). During the FAO/SLAN/LATINFOODS meeting on food composition in November 2003, in Acapulco, Mexico, the administrative rules of LATINFOODS were approved and the regional work plan on food composition 2004–2006 was elaborated. In accordance with this plan of work, the following activities have been carried out: organization of the Second Electronic Conference FAO/LATINFOODS “Evaluation of data quality for database and food composition tables”; elaboration of informative material about LATINFOODS with FAO financial support; update of Latin American Regional Food Composition Database and Regional Table by Subregional Data Center for South America (SAFOODS); and various national activities such as dissemination of the regional and national activities, elaboration of research projects, generation and compilation of new data, publication of tables, creation/enlargement of food composition tables on the Internet and elaboration of a sampling manual. Future activities of LATINFOODS will include translation of the food compilation form from Portuguese to Spanish and producing a sampling manual for Latin America. It is important to emphasize that continuous, dynamic, cooperative work among all participant countries of the network is essential in order for LATINFOODS to disseminate data about foods consumed in Latin America. Activities aiming to facilitate collection of analytical data and to provide adequate procedures must be prioritized. These activities must target the improvement of the quality of food composition information.