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Asian Young Dietitian Network Launches in Japan Sponsored

Twelve countries and regions participated in the launch of the Asian Young Dietitian Network aimed at enhancing the status of dietitians in the region.

Published

2 months ago

February 15, 2024

Mika Sugiura

Kickoff meeting for the Asian Young Dietician Network, with Dr Andrea Wakita of Ajinomoto, right, as emcee. (©JAPAN Forward by Mika Sugiura)

Read the full story on Japan 2 Earth - Asian Young Dietitian Network Launches in Japan

The Asian Young Dietitian Network (AYDN) was launched in Japan in late 2023. Young dietitians from various Asian countries pledged to work collaboratively to address diet-related issues in their respective nations. Participants from 12 countries and regions including Japan declared their commitment to fostering solidarity among dietitians in Asia.

Enhancing the Status of Dietitians

On December 1, 2023, the kickoff meeting for the Asian Young Dietitian Network (AYDN) took place in a conference room at Ajinomoto's headquarters in Tokyo's Chuo Ward. Approximately 20 nutritionists ranging in age from their 20s to 40s gathered for the event.

Attendees came from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Japan, totaling 11 nations. With Bhutan participating online, a total of 12 countries/regions were represented.

At the meeting's opening, Ms Nguyen Thu Trang, a Vietnamese graduate student studying at Jumonji University, gave a presentation on AYDN's objectives, a timeline leading up to its launch, and the direction of future activities.

"With this network, we aim to enhance the status of dietitians in each country and realize societies that hold dietitians in high regard," Nguyen stated passionately.

The Origin of AYDN

The roots of AYDN can be traced back to the 8th Asian Congress of Dietetics in Yokohama in August 2022. This conference, held every four years, brings together member countries of the Asian Federation of Dietetic Associations (AFDA), with Japan hosting for the first time in 2022.

Asian Young Dietitian Network — *Participants watching a presentation with keen interest at the Kickoff Meeting (©JAPAN Forward by Mika Sugiura)*

A workshop titled "Let's Talk with Asian Young Dietitians about Our Future" was organized by students, graduate students, and alumni of Jumonji University. This workshop ignited intense discussions among dietitians from various countries regarding their environments and challenges.

Nurturing young dietitians is essential to address nutritional challenges in Asia. To ensure the workshop's impacts extended past the single event, Ajinomoto offered support. This led to the establishment of AYDN as a collaborative research effort between Ajinomoto and the Asian Nutrition and Food Culture Research Center at Jumonji University.

Continue reading the full story on Japan 2 Earth to learn more about the AYDN's efforts to enhance the status of dietitians in the region.

(Ajinomoto is a Logo Partner of Japan 2 Earth.)

And find more great articles on the environment and the challenges of achieving the SDGs on our affiliated website Japan 2 Earth (J2E), sparking a transition to a sustainable future.

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Mika Sugiura