title: Improving nutrition surveillance and public health research in Central and Eastern Europe/Balkan Countries using the Balkan Food Platform and dietary tools.
abstract: The objective of this paper is to share experience and provide updated information on Capacity Development in the Central and Eastern Europe/Balkan Countries (CEE/BC) region relevant to public health nutrition, particularly in creation of food composition databases (FCDBs), applying dietary intake assessment and monitoring tools, and harmonizing methodology for nutrition surveillance. Balkan Food Platform was established by a Memorandum of Understanding among EuroFIR AISBL, Institute for Medical Research, Belgrade, Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in CEE - CAPNUTRA and institutions from nine countries in the region. Inventory on FCDB status identified lack of harmonized and standardized research tools. To strengthen harmonization in CEE/BC in line with European research trends, the Network members collaborated in development of a Regional FCDB, using web-based food composition data base management software following EuroFIR standards. Comprehensive nutrition assessment and planning tool - DIET ASSESS & PLAN could enable synchronization of nutrition surveillance across countries.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia; Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia. Electronic address: mirjana.gurinovic@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gurinović
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia; Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milešević
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia; Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia.
authors.forename: Romana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Novaković
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia; Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia.
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kadvan
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia; Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia.
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Djekić-Ivanković
authors.affiliation: Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia; Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Zvonimir
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Šatalić
authors.affiliation: Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia; Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mojca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korošec
authors.affiliation: Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia; Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Macedonia, Skopje, The Former Yugolav Republic of Macedonia.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Spiroski
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia; Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia.
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ranić
authors.affiliation: FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU), Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dupouy
authors.affiliation: Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia; Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oshaug
authors.affiliation: Institute for Food Research, Norwich, UK; EuroFIR AISBL, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Finglas
authors.affiliation: Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia; Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, CAPNUTRA, Serbia.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glibetić
mesh_terms: D063368:Balkan Peninsula; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004032:Diet; D005061:Europe, Eastern; D005502:Food; D005504:Food Analysis; D006801:Humans; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011634:Public Health; D012984:Software
keywords: Capacity Development; Dietary assessment tools; Food composition data; Harmonization; Nutritional surveillance