1. Opening Session
2. Election of Officers
3. Adoption of Agenda
4. Objectives and Mechanics of the Consultation
5. Review of scientific evidence and epidemiology on diet-related health problems including NCDs and other forms of malnutrition.
The scientific evidence and epidemiology of diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and malnutrition, particularly where they occur together, will be reviewed with respect to:
* role of energy, macronutrient and micronutrient intakes, particularly where evidence is available on the individual intakes rather than on a population basis;
* role of non-nutritional life-style factors: alcohol, exercise, stress, smoking.
6. Recommended nutrient intakes
Existing literature will be drawn upon to summarize current recommendations on nutrient intakes for preventing protein-energy malnutrition deficiency diseases and minimizing incidence of ischaemic heart disease, essential hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus and certain forms of cancer.
A synthesis of current nutrient recommendations will be made (in terms of a desirable range of individual nutrient intakes for prevention of these disorders). This synthesis should be expressed in such a way that the recommendations will be applicable in countries which have problems of undernutrition as well as overnutrition, especially among young children.
7. Review of use of existing dietary guidelines for promoting better dietary patterns and development of food-based dietary guidelines
Many countries have already some dietary guidelines - qualitative or quantitative, or both, for prevention of diet-related diseases. How these are used will be reviewed and common elements identified which are appropriate for incorporation in the guidelines.
The review will include the processes by which those national guidelines are developed and promoted, through schools (primary and secondary), mass media and other approaches.
An effort will be made to identify those approaches considered to be more effective, in terms of their impact on dietary habits and where possible on health, e.g. mortality or prevalence data.
8. Review of main dietary assessment methodologies
A brief overview will be presented of relevant methodologies
* limited usefulness of national food availability data;
* feasibility, advantages and disadvantages of household and individual food consumption data;
* main available methodologies: recall, direct weighing.
9. Recommendations concerning the use of dietary guidelines for individuals and population groups
The group will draw up suggestions for consideration by governments or nongovernmental organizations, on how best to use the guidelines emerging from this consultation, in reviewing existing national dietary guidelines or in the drawing up of national food-based dietary guidelines by national working groups.
10. Closing Session
