Public Health Foundation of India Food Technology Research Recruitment

A Validation Study of a Dietary Assessment Instrument Capturing Ultra Processed Food Consumption in Multiple Countries Project– The presence of ultra-processed food and drink products – hereafter

referred as ultra-processed foods (UPF) – in the current food environment is increasing, as is the consistency in the evidence base highlighting its negative health effects, ranging from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer, diabetes, stroke and obesity to depression and all-cause mortality. Data also reflect their dominance in present-day food systems in high- and middle-income countries, and increasingly, in low-income countries.

There is however, a lack of comparable data on UPF consumption across contexts and over time, especially in lower-income countries. The development of a simple and quick diet screener with low respondent and researcher burden, to estimate UPF consumption and track its intake routinely and comparably across countries is essential. Even though other screeners of diet quality exist, none were developed with the aim of evaluating the overall consumption of UPF.

To address these limitations, the lead organization in Brazil has developed the NOVA-UPF tool – a short screener asking people what they ate or drank on the previous day, from a comprehensive list of 23 categories of UPF. The NOVA-UPF tool addresses specifically UPF intake. It is quick, simple to administer, easily adaptable to different contexts, captures a broad range of UPF that can be tracked over time, has a low researcher burden, and, when used across multiple contexts, allows for a high degree of comparability of UPF intake between contexts.

The original version of this tool was developed for a Brazilian context and validated against a full 24 hour-recall. To be applicable to other contexts, the NOVA-UPF tool would need to first be adapted and then validated. The study aims to:

1. To adapt a 23-item food-based screener capturing UPF consumption (previously validated within the Brazilian setting) to three different LMIC including India and PHFI is the India partner for this study.
2. To validate this adapted short food-based screener within a purposive sample from India.
3. To develop and test a protocol, applying the validated instrument in a probabilistic sample (sentinel group) in India, for tracking UPF intake.

At the end of this process a comparable but contextually adapted and validated, NOVA-UPF tools will be available for India in Hindi (and other local languages) and in Spanish and French for the other LMIC countries participating in the study.

In the second year of the grant, we will develop a protocol for the application of the validated NOVA-UPF tool into surveillance and M&E systems and test it within a probabilistic sample of adult’s selected using simple random sampling, from sentinel locations.

Deliverables –

• Review literature on Ultra processed foods availability, access and consumption in India.
• Develop a list of the sub-categories of UPF consumed across all regions in India.
• Compile a comprehensive list of example UPF items within each sub-category.
• Assist the PI and co PI in constitution of an expert panel on UPF categorization and development of Indian UPF screener.
• Organize and lead expert panel meetings from time to time.
• Develop and finalize and adapt study tools into EDC platform for validation study.
• Manage and supervise data collection during the tool validation.
• Support the PI and Co-PI in data analysis and report writing Preparation of periodic reports and administrative documentation work as requested by the granter.
• Organizing periodic meeting with the study collaborators.
• Assist the PI and co-PI in preparation of manuscripts.
• Coordination with admin, HR and finance.
• Preparation of periodic reports (quarterly) and updates, data analysis, technical report and manuscripts.
• Any other task as assigned by the Supervisor/PI.

Qualification –

Desirable –

M.Sc. (Nutrition/food science/ food technology/public health nutrition) OR PhD (Nutrition/food science/ food technology/Public health Nutrition)

Experience:

Desirable:

Around 1 Year of research experience

Process to Apply –

Interested and eligible candidates may send their updated CV to [email protected] and fill the application form- https://forms.office.com/r/FvQUyV4iHV. Please mention the exact Position Code (IIPH-RSFW-134) in the email subject line. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interview.

Last Date of Receipt of Applications:  November 23, 2021

Remarks

• Candidates are requested to refer PHFI website for position description & process for applying. Please note only those applications will be considered which are received as per instruction written on PHFI website.
• Candidates should have an excellent academic record, good communication skills, a commitment to high quality graduate / post-graduate education.
• Mere eligibility will not entitle any candidate for being called for interview.
• Persons employed in Government/Semi-Government Organization or Educational Institutions in India must apply through proper channel.
• PHFI reserves the right to fill or not to fill any or all available positions.
• The requirements of minimum qualification and/or experience may be relaxed in the case of candidates with outstanding credentials.
• No correspondence will be entertained from candidates regarding any delays, conduct & result of interview and reasons for not being called for interview.

“PHFI reserves the sole right to alter/modify/cancel the entire selection process or the position or the vacancy or to disqualify any candidature at any stage of the selection process”.

Women are encouraged to apply!

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