TU Dublin Researchers Spotlight Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies on RTÉ’s 10 Things to Know About Food Security
Dr Liz O'Sullivan and Dr Aileen Kennedy from TU Dublin and TU Dublin Research and Innovation, joined Kathriona Devereux on RTÉ’s acclaimed science series, 10 Things to Know About Food Security. The episode, aired on Monday, 18th November, delves into their work on a vital North South Research Programme project, exploring innovative strategies to protect the health and nutrition of vulnerable infants and young children in crisis settings.
Speaking about the significance of the programme, Dr Liz O’Sullivan, Lecturer in Nutrition, emphasised that:
Participating in 10 Things to Know About Food Security has been a unique opportunity to share our work with a broad audience, raising awareness of how emergencies can impact the youngest and most vulnerable in our society. This programme helps us to underline the urgency of finding solutions to ensure we are prepared to meet infants’ nutritional needs during times of crisis.
The project titled ‘Developing an infant and young child feeding in emergencies preparedness plan for the island of Ireland,’ is funded by the Higher Education Authority and Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and aims to ensure we are prepared to address the nutritional needs of vulnerable children during times of crisis. During emergencies like floods, pandemics, or snowstorms, ensuring that infants and young children have access to safe and nutritious food is critical. In particular, infants under 6 months rely on either breast milk or infant formula as a sole source of food, which puts them at serious risk if they are separated from their mother or if the supply of infant formula is compromised. Without proper support, they face serious risks such as malnutrition, infections, and illnesses like diarrhoea. Unfortunately, there is currently no plan in place to protect the nutrition of infants and young children during emergencies in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. This research aims to create a clear and practical plan to address this gap. By bringing together experts in nutrition, public health, climate change, law, and policy from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the project will develop a cross-border strategy for infant and young child feeding during emergencies.
Dr Aileen Kennedy, Lecturer in Dietetics, highlighted the crucial role of the North-South Research Programme in advancing their work:
The North-South Programme has been instrumental in facilitating our research and fostering a collaborative approach to addressing these issues. Thanks to their support, we are developing an Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies draft plan for the Island of Ireland. This initiative addresses the unique nutritional challenges families may face during emergencies and ensures we are better prepared to support families in meeting the essential nutritional needs of their infants and young children.
The research team at TU Dublin hopes to inspire further dialogue and action on food security issues, particularly in the context of infants and young children. Their work underscores the importance of collaborative research efforts to tackle one of the most urgent challenges of our time.
The episode aired on Monday 18th of November and is now available for viewing. TU Dublin’s team appears at 17:30 in the broadcast, offering insights into the challenges and solutions surrounding food security in vulnerable populations.
Catch the episode via this link: https://bit.ly/4fyCa90.