IAEA Publication
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a newsletter about Alan Jackson and his work with radioisotopes to help alleviate malnutrition. Alan jackson is a professor at the Institute of Nutrition at the University of Southampton. he uses radioisotopes to determine various physical qualities of a persons body.
According to the article, he can determine qualities like a persons water content, fat content/where it is stored, and mineral/nutrient content by using safe, low-energy radiation. He says that, "although all people are fundamentally the same, there are important differences from place to place, which need to be taken into account when looking for solutions to problems." In this case, the problem is malnutrition. Jackson argues that this technology will allow people to better suit their efforts or food programs for a particular region to make it more effective.
Although I don't see the data from this work to be worth exposing people to unnecessary radiation for, Jackson brings up an interesting point: "there are important differences from place to place, which need to be taken into account when looking for solutions." Medecin Sans Frontieres, for example, creates what they call Ready to Use Food or, RUF. The idea is that this food is easily packaged and distributed amongst people, while providing all the necessary nutrients to sustain a healthy body. Although it all sounds fine and dandy, imagine giving someone in the Middle East peanut butter, or a pop tart. The RUF's might meet someone's nutritional needs, but does meet their cultural needs? Will they accept it over the foods they've grown up with? Golden Rice is a great example of this. Technically, the beta-carotene in the yellow rice which is not present in white rice would alleviate most of Asia's chronic health problems and malnutrition, but no one is willing to eat yellow colored rice. "Rice is white and will always be white." Will the same thing happen with Doctors Without Borders RUF's?
This may be ignorant of me, but I feel that it's so strange to be picky about the food that is given to you when you are malnurished. If I was starving and somebody handed me a plate full of raw fish that is maybe common in Asia, I may not like it, but if I was hungry I feel that I would eat it. But perhaps not. Perhaps Doctors Without Borders should consider investing in food for their RUF's that contain food that is common within those countries?
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