Saving lives in some of the poorest countries in Africa through dietary and lifestyle projects, is to be the subject of a talk by international nutrition expert Dr Paul Amuna from the University of Greenwich at Medway. He has been invited to share his expertise at a prestigious international conference in Ghana.

Dr Amuna has spent many years working on ways to help combat chronic diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular problems, which put additional strain on medical resources.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has predicted that by 2030 chronic diseases will overtake communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis and HIV, as the main cause of death in Africa. Dr Amuna will be a key speaker at the conference in Accra being organised by the British Academy and The Royal Society.

Dr Amuna will talk about his research to help improve nutrition and health. In particular, he will focus on work he is doing with the WHO International Malnutrition Task Force in Africa and practical approaches to improving nutrition in deprived communities by using Food Multimix – a discovery developed at the University of Greenwich.

Food Multimix uses locally available, cheap and affordable ingredients, such as fruits, pulses, vegetables and legumes in nutrient-enriched mixes. These can then be added to traditional foods to achieve a healthier and more balanced diet improving the daily nutrition of vulnerable people, including pregnant mothers, undernourished children and patients with HIV/AIDS.

Dr Amuna says: “It is a great honour to be able to speak at an event like this. The conference will be attended by many African academics and policy-makers and it’s very important we highlight the problems that chronic diseases are causing and the work being undertaken by institutions such as the University of Greenwich to find solutions.”

To find out how the University of Greenwich at Medway’s expertise in food and nutrition can help your business, contact Greenwich Research and Enterprise on 020 8331 7867 or e-mail first-stop@gre.ac.uk.

To find out more about courses available at the University of Greenwich call 0800 005 006 or visit www.greenwich.ac.uk.