A healthy diet helps protect against malnutrition in all its forms, as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and other conditions. However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to a change in eating habits. People are now eating more foods high in energy, fat, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many are not eating enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Diet may depend on an individual’s food choices, but also on the availability and affordability of healthy foods and sociocultural factors. Therefore, promoting a healthy food environment requires the participation of multiple sectors and stakeholders, including government, public sector and private sector.
Governments have a central role to play in creating a healthy food environment that makes it easy for individuals to adopt and maintain healthy eating practices. Effective actions by policymakers include:
- Coordinate trade, food and agricultural policies with the protection and promotion of public health;
- Encourage consumer demand for healthy foods and meals; And
- Promote healthy eating throughout life.
The WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health was adopted in 2004 by the World Health Assembly. It calls on governments, WHO, international partners, the private sector and civil society to take action at global, regional and local levels to support healthy diets and physical activity. WHO member states have also agreed to reduce the salt consumption of the world’s population by 30% by 2025; and stop the increase in diabetes and obesity in adults and adolescents as well as overweight in children by 2025.
