Making Data Count: Addressing Hierarchies, Gaps, and Utilization

Summary

In this presentation, nutrition scientist Barbara Burlingame emphasizes the importance of data-driven and evidence-based approaches in food systems and nutrition policies. She advocates for expanding evidence hierarchies to include traditional knowledge, particularly in sustainable diets and food systems. Burlingame highlights the need for high-quality data to address malnutrition, achieve Sustainable Development Goals, and integrate indigenous knowledge, using examples like vitamin A deficiency in Micronesia. She calls for reexamining evidence models to promote biodiversity and sustainable food solutions for long-term nutritional security.

Takeaways

• 🔬 Barbara Burlingame is a nutrition scientist with extensive experience, including roles at Massey University, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, and Frontiers in Nutrition.
• 📊 Data-driven and evidence-based approaches are essential for sustainable food systems, policies, and nutrition security.
• 📉 Traditional knowledge is often excluded from evidence hierarchies despite being based on centuries of observation and should be reexamined.
• 📜 The 2021 White/Wiphala Paper emphasized the need to integrate Indigenous knowledge into policy frameworks.
• 🌍 High-quality, timely, and relevant data are crucial for making informed decisions and achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, especially the 'No Hunger' goal (Goal 2).
• 🍌 A case study in Micronesia highlights the value of traditional foods, like local bananas rich in provitamin A, to address malnutrition sustainably.
• 🌱 Traditional and empirical knowledge combined can offer more sustainable solutions to malnutrition than clinical approaches, like vitamin supplements.
• 🌿 Promoting agricultural biodiversity helps create sustainable diets and long-term food solutions by utilizing local resources.
• 🤝 Collaborative efforts across sectors (agriculture, health, environment, education) are necessary to address malnutrition and ensure sustainable food systems.
• 📚 Scientists must address data gaps, reexamine evidence hierarchies, and use data to support global goals, like the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

Q & A

Who is Barbara Burlingame and what are her credentials?

Barbara Burlingame is a nutrition scientist and professor at the Riddet Institute of Massey University. She is the specialty chief editor for *Frontiers in Nutrition*, a member of the High Level Panel of Experts Steering Committee for the Committee on World Food Security, and a fellow of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences. She is also a former chief of nutrition at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and former director of INFOODS.

What does it mean for an approach to be 'data-driven' or 'evidence-based'?

A data-driven or evidence-based approach means decision-making and policy development are determined by or dependent on the collection and analysis of data. This approach is key to ensuring policies, projects, programs, and research are based on high-quality, relevant information.

Why are data- and evidence-driven approaches important for sustainable food systems?

Data- and evidence-driven approaches are important for sustainable food systems because they provide the information needed to improve access to food, promote better nutrition, and inform actions. High-quality and timely data are critical for developing effective policies, research directions, and programs that address food security and sustainability.

What are some limitations of the conventional hierarchy of evidence in policy-making?

The conventional hierarchy of evidence often places traditional knowledge at the bottom of the pyramid, classifying it as 'weak' and excluding it from policy debates and systematic reviews. This is a limitation because traditional knowledge, which is based on centuries or millennia of observation, can be valuable for understanding sustainable food systems and diets.

How does the White/Wiphala Paper on Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems aim to change evidence evaluation?

The White/Wiphala Paper on Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems advocates for the recognition, respect, and integration of traditional knowledge into scientific and policy frameworks. It calls for equal consideration of traditional knowledge in policy development, marking a shift towards expanding the boundaries of what is considered scientific evidence.

What kind of data is needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly goal 2?

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goal 2 ('No hunger'), we need a breadth and depth of data on food and nutrient composition, consumption patterns, biodiversity of foods, beneficial non-nutrients, harmful components, and factors influencing food systems. This data is essential for developing food-based dietary guidelines, promoting sustainable agriculture, and monitoring progress towards the SDGs.

What is the significance of the traditional bananas in Micronesia in addressing vitamin A deficiency?

Traditional bananas in Micronesia, which were previously consumed as staple foods, were found to be rich in provitamin A carotenoids, with some varieties containing up to 8500 micrograms per serving. These bananas can help prevent vitamin A deficiency, a significant cause of blindness, by providing a sustainable, local solution to malnutrition instead of relying on temporary remedies like supplements.

What role does traditional knowledge play in sustainable food systems, according to Barbara Burlingame?

According to Barbara Burlingame, traditional knowledge plays a crucial role in sustainable food systems by offering insights into biodiversity and traditional diets that can help address malnutrition. Combining traditional knowledge with empirical science can lead to more sustainable, long-term solutions for food security and nutrition.

What are some challenges related to data accessibility in the context of food systems?

One challenge is that while a significant amount of data on food systems already exists, accessing these data is often difficult. Improved access to existing data is necessary for building upon it, using it effectively, and filling in critical data gaps to address issues like malnutrition, food security, and sustainable agriculture.

How can agricultural biodiversity contribute to more sustainable food systems?

Agricultural biodiversity, when leveraged, can promote sustainable diets and food systems by providing a diverse range of nutrient-rich foods that address malnutrition more effectively than single-nutrient solutions. A broader understanding of edible biodiversity and its integration into policy frameworks can lead to long-term sustainability in agriculture and nutrition.