Side Meetings
SMB118
Promoting Healthy Food and Well-being in an Era of Polycrises
23
Jan
-
09:00 - 12:30 HRS. (BKK)
- Tohoku University
- Mahidol University
- Chulalongkorn University
Covid-19 disproportionately compromised the health and well-being of the individuals, especially those with underlying risk factors, including nutritional double burden. The current polycrises marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions and conflicts have led to soaring prices of essential commodities, including food. This situation particularly affects low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). Daily meals, irrespective of income level, play a vital role in people’s overall health and well-being. LMICs are grappling with significant concerns over declining health and well-being, particularly among low-income populations. Even before the recent polycrises emerged, the influx of cheap, yet nutritionally poor, ultra-processed foods, that was a consequence of the global production system prioritizing maximum productivity, had already impacted well-being. In the face of these polycrises addressing the nutritional conditions of underprivileged people is of utmost importance. Therefore, improving literacy in health, nutrition, and culinary arts is essential to mitigate this nutritional crisis.
Our goal is to explore strategies for reducing disparities in health and well-being arising from global economic inequalities, with a specific focus on food. Instead of advocating mass production leading to mass consumption, our aim is to promote food production that empowers underprivileged people to lead healthy, vibrant and productive lives, free from the health concerns associated with inappropriate food intake. To achieve this, we encourage individuals to acquire the skills of healthy cooking. This session is designed to offer insights into the technology that supports the optimized food production to improve health and well-being through food. It also provides the platform for comprehensive discussions on the theme of ‘Cooking for Health and Well-being’ with experts from Japan and Thailand. Buddhism’s virtues related to food and cooking will also be touched upon in this session.
