Kazakh Academy of Nutrition (KAN)

Kazakh Academy of Nutrition (KAN) was founded in 1974 as Kazakh Branch of the Institute of Nutrition of the former USSR Academy of Medical Sciences. KAN has three main divisions: (1) Institute of Nutrition, (2) Institute of International Programs and (3) Center of Food Production Programs. Since 1979 KAN has been working successfully as WHO's Collaborating Center on Nutrition. KAN is Associate Institute of UN University on Nutrition issues since 1995, and Associated Member of International Union of Nutritional Science since 1996.

KAN has been involved in nutrition programs in all five Central Asian countries for the last two decades and continues to be committed to main program priorities, which are combating nutritional deficiencies and promotion of healthy nutrition for all population groups living in Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries. KAN has coordinated a regional anemia control and prevention program as well iodine deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, and several other regional micronutrient initiatives.

KAN is also involved in breastfeeding programs by promoting Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative and implementing International Code on Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes as well as in WHO's Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI). During the last decade the KAN managed to establish a network of institutions and professionals working in the area of nutrition in Central Asian countries. The KAN's staff provided assistance to these institutions and professionals to implement health and nutrition programs funded by their governments and international donor organizations. Over the course of this initial collaboration, several institutions in Central Asian countries have been transformed from the branches of KAN to independent entities: national research Institutes and University departments.

In addition to international efforts, KAN has been involved in many domestic programs funded by the Government of Kazakhstan. It mostly related to establishment of food chemical composition, determining of minimal food basket, development of the national nutrition policy, design and production of food products for clinical practice and general use (including some baby food products for age 6 months and older), nutritional recommendations for populations residing in areas of oil and gas exploration in West Kazakhstan, etc.

The Regional Project of Kazakh Academy of Nutrition (KAN) is prepared within the framework of realization of International ADB Project on food fortification, takes into consideration mainly those issues, which are general for all the countries covered with the project. These are the issues of: training and improvement of professional skill of the staff by using the uniform training programs; elaboration and printing manuals and educational materials; using the uniform technique for data gathering, monitoring and conducting of researches; translation of technical specifications and literature; elaboration, manufacture and providing by vitamin-mineral complexes (premixes), which are necessary for wheat flour fortification; establishing the wide communications, creation and further support of WEB site, accessible to all countries-participants of the project; using of uniform methodology for estimation of project efficiency; organization and conducting of training seminars and conferences for discussion of preliminary, stage level and final results etc.