Scientific Symposium “Nutrition and food security in the Arctic”
Event Summary
At the beginning of the symposium, representatives from the Nordic Nutrition Societies took the floor to welcome the participants.
During the event, there were two keynote presentations:
- Olafur Ogmundarson (University of Iceland, “Food Security in the Islands of the Arctic North, with focus on Iceland”)
- Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen (University of Greenland, Nuuk & University of Aarhus, Denmark, “The Greenlandic ACCEPT cohort: diet, exposure, and health outcomes”)
and three poster presentations:
- Suvi Itkonen (University of Helsinki and Finnish Nutrition Society, “Finnish farmers’ perceptions on water use, food security, and changing dietary habits”)
- Mike Yiou ZHU (Institute of Marine Research and Norwegian Nutrition Society, “International marine fish trade networks highlight Northeast Atlantic’s role in regional and global food security”)
- Anna Sofia Veyhe (University of the Faroe Islands, “Intergenerational associations in iodine-rich food intake and BMI among Faroese adolescents”).
These presentations showcased current situation of nutrition and food security in the Arctic region and highlighted the importance of healthy diet and secured food supply to the people of the Arctic. Reduction in the intake of locally produced food in favour of imported food is evident in all places that were mentioned (Iceland, Greenland and Faroe Islands), which also has consequences for supply of macro- and micronutrients as well as the GHG emissions from diet. Fish from the north Atlantic contribute to micronutrient supply not only to local populations but has also global impact on supply with N3-fatty acids and iodine. While food production is still dominated by animal-sourced food, there is sceptics among farmers towards recommendations of more plant-based diets. It will be important for food security in the North to increase production of plant foods, to highlight the value of local food resources from the ocean and to increase food literacy among the general population.
The symposium has received funding from the Nordic Council of Ministers (Healthy, safe and sustainable diet HSSD), and from the Nordic Nutrition societies. It was further funded with personal grants from the University of Bergen, the University of Iceland, the University of Helsinki.
