I know, I’ve already spoken about the various projects and activities that I did this past term in FNH 455. However, I think my learnings were so important and applicable to real life that I can’t help but share. One assignment we had to complete over the term was called ‘Nutrition in the News’. This required students to give a five-minute presentation to the rest of the class about a current food security issue in the news. My first news piece was called Palestinians in Syria cut off from aid once more and focused on Palestinian refugees residing in the Yarmouk camp in Syria. The reason why I thought this news piece was so important was that the majority of the focus of refugee food security issues in the Middle East have focused on those that have fled due to the Syrian conflict and not the refugees that currently reside within Syria. The current 18,000 refugees have been dependent on food aid provided by the United Nations since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. However, conflict between governmental and armed insurgent forces have lead to the occupation of the camp and the blockage and distribution of any food aid to its residents. As a result, some of the refugees have been forced to resort to eating foods like boiled grass, tomato paste, and stale vegetables. Foods like these can be referred to as famine foods, as they are foods that are typically high in fiber (provide a feeling of fullness) but have little to no nutritional value. Furthermore, an access to a clean water source has also mostly been cut off. This has lead to the rise of water-borne diseases like diarrhea. The reason this is so important to nutritional status is because diseases not only affect our absorption of nutrients but also our appetite and willingness is to eat in the first place. The solution to this food security issue remains an incredibly difficult one. Nevertheless, the most viable solution would be for a humanitarian intergovernmental organization to step in and demand that food aid be redistributed to the residents.
Main Article: http://www.trust.org/item/20150131135523-9rhee/?source=fiHeadlineStory
