WISHH World AIDS Day Message
St. Louis…December 1, 2008… As people around the globe acknowledge today as World AIDS Day, the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH), managed by the American Soybean Association, is pleased to report the increasing recognition of the role of food, including soy protein, to improve the lives of people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). "We are seeing more and more interest in adding soy protein to developing country foods, including in programs that are part of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)," said WISHH Executive Director Jim Hershey. "HIV/AIDS-infected people may need 50-100 percent more protein than uninfected people. Soy is ideally suited to help meet their requirements for protein, calories and micronutrients."
The role of food in the campaign against HIV/AIDS got new momentum in July when President Bush signed the Henry J. Hyde and Tom Lantos United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act. This legislation expands PEPFAR for five additional years, from 2009 through 2013. Launched in 2003, PEPFAR is the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history.
Under this new legislation, U.S. soybean fields are literally growing some of the nutrition that can help promote progress and relieve human suffering. More than 33 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS, and proper nutrition can assist them in leading productive jobs and being able to care for their families. More than 15 million children worldwide have lost one or both parents to AIDS. President-elect Barack Obama has stated his support for the expanded PEPFAR program and an "all-hands-on-deck" strategy to fighting HIV/AIDS.
For more information about WISHH, go to www.wishh.orgFor more information about PEPFAR, go to www.pepfar.gov
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