The 18th International Congress of Nutrition takes place on African soil [editorial]

For the first time the International Congress of Nutrition is being held in South Africa and indeed in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hence this marks a landslide event in the global arena of nutrition research. This 18th International Congress on Nutrition is being held in Durban in September 2005 and is appropriately set at a time in South Africa’s history of 10 years of democracy. Many initiatives towards improving the nutritional status of the population have occurred during this time of which South Africa can be justifiably proud. Some of these will be mentioned briefly before discussing the contents of the current issue. Since 1994 the new government in South Africa has retained nutrition and its importance in health high on its agenda. One of the first mileposts was the implementation of a national integrated nutrition strategy by the Nutrition Directorate of the Department of Health (DOH)1 with specific focus areas targeted at household food security micronutrient control promotion of breast-feeding growth monitoring disease-specific nutritional support food service management at state institutions and nutrition promotion and advocacy. (excerpt)