Abstract
Background: The International Union of Nutritional Sciences held its 21st International Congress of Nutrition in October 2017 in Buenos Aires, Argentina under the theme – From Sciences to Nutrition Security. In addition to multiple sessions on food systems and their links to diet, nutrition and health, the Congress closing lecture focused on the need to transform food systems so as to increase their capacity to provide healthy diets, making a call for greater involvement of nutrition scientists. Summary: This article presents the main messages of that lecture, providing (i) an overview of global nutrition trends and their links to diets, food environments and food systems, (ii) a synopsis of the current global momentum for food system transformation and (iii) the need for nutrition scientists to leverage this momentum in terms of increased evidence generation and policy advocacy. Key Messages: Poor quality diets are increasingly leading to the compromising of human health as never before; the prevalence of undernutrition persists and remains acute in vulnerable regions, and hunger is increasing concomitantly with an unprecedented rise in overweight, obesity and nutrition-related non-communicable diseases. Increasing access to healthy diets through faster, stronger implementation of supply and demand-side strategies that address the underlying drivers of today’s faulty food systems is imperative to solve these problems, as well as to address related environmental and economic costs. The global momentum for such action is increasing, but the evidence base needed to galvanize governments and hold stakeholders accountable remains yet a fledgling. To date, inputs from nutrition scientists to this reform agenda have been weak, especially given the unique contributions the field can make in terms of rigorous analysis and technical advice. Strengthened participation will require innovations in metrics and methodologies, combined with new thinking on what constitutes viable evidence and a greater willingness to engage with private sector agri-food actors.
References
1.
FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO: The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2017. Building Resilience for Peace and Food Security. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2017. http://www.fao.org/3/a-I7695e.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
2.
UNICEF/WHO/WBG: Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates 2017 Edition. New York, United Nations Children’s Fund/Geneva, World Health Organization/Washington DC, World Bank Group, 2017.
3.
WHO: Obesity and overweight Fact Sheet. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2017. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ (accessed January 9, 2018).
4.
WHO: A Global Brief on Hypertension. Silent Killer, Global Public Health Crisis. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2013. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/79059/1/WHO_DCO_WHD_2013.2_eng.pdf?ua=1 (accessed January 9, 2018).
5.
Tanumihardjo SA, Anderson C, Kaufer-Horwitz M, Bode L, Emenaker NJ, Haqq AM, et al: Poverty, obesity, and malnutrition: an international perspective recognizing the paradox. J Am Diet Assoc 2007; 107: 1966–1972.
6.
FAO: The double burden of malnutrition. Case studies from six developing countries. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 84. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2006. http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0442e/a0442e00.htm (accessed January 9, 2018).
7.
Tzioumis E, Adair LS: Childhood dual burden of under- and overnutrition in low- and middle-income countries: a critical review. Food Nutr Bull 2014; 35: 230–243.
8.
Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 Risk Factors Collaborators, Forouzanfar MH, Alexander L, Anderson HR, Bachman VF, Biryukov S, Brauer M, Burnett R, Casey D, Coates MM, Cohen A, et al: Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks in 188 countries, 1990-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet 2015; 386: 2287–2323.
9.
Contento IR: Nutrition education: linking research, theory, and practice. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2008; 17(suppl 1):176–179.
10.
WHO: Healthy Diet Fact Sheet. Fact Sheet No. 394. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2015. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs394/en/ (accessed January 9, 2018).
11.
Grace D: Influencing Food Environments for Healthy Diets through Food Safety; Influencing Food Environments for Healthy Diets. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016, pp 43–75.
12.
HLPE: Nutrition and Food Systems. A Report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2017. http://www.fao.org/3/a-i7846e.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
13.
Herforth A, Ahmed S: The food environment, its effects on dietary consumption, and potential for measurement within agriculture-nutrition interventions. Food Security 2015; 7: 505–520.
14.
HLPE: Food losses and waste in the context of sustainable food systems. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2014. http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3901e.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
15.
Monteiro CA, Levy RB, Claro RM, de Castro IR, Cannon G: Increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods and likely impact on human health: evidence from Brazil. Public Health Nutr 2011; 14: 5–13.
16.
Imamura F, Micha R, Khatibzadeh S, Fahimi S, Shi P, Powles J, Mozaffarian D, Global Burden of Diseases Nutrition and Chronic Diseases Expert Group (NutriCoDE): Dietary quality among men and women in 187 countries in 1990 and 2010: a systematic assessment. Lancet Glob Health 2015; 3:e132–e142.
17.
World Development Indicators database, World Bank, December 15, 2017. http://databank.worldbank.org/data/download/POP.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
18.
Global Panel: Food Systems and Diets: Facing the Challenges of the 21st Century. London, Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, 2016. https://glopan.org/sites/default/files/ForesightReport.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
19.
FAO: Global Food Losses and Food Waste. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2011. http://www.fao.org/publication/s/card/en/c/c8d0e1ef-6080-5c87-825b-2ed4285777d6/ (accessed January 9, 2018).
20.
FAO: The State of Food and Agriculture 2016: Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016. http://www.fao.org/3/a-i6030e.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
21.
Loladze I: Hidden shift of the ionome of plants exposed to elevated CO2 depletes minerals at the base of human nutrition. Elife 2014; 3:e02245.
22.
Myers SS, Zanobetti A, Kloog I, Huybers P, Leakey AD, Bloom AJ, Carlisle E, Dietterich LH, Fitzgerald G, Hasegawa T, Holbrook NM, Nelson RL, Ottman MJ, Raboy V, Sakai H, Sartor KA, Schwartz J, Seneweera S, Tausz M, Usui Y: Increasing CO2 threatens human nutrition. Nature 2014; 510: 139–142.
23.
FAO: International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition: Key Messages. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2017.
24.
Fischer CG, Garnett T: Influencing Food Environments for Healthy Diets through Food-Based Dietary Guidelines; Influencing Food Environments for Healthy Diets. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016, pp 107–135.
25.
Wijesinha-Bettoni R, Khosravi A, Sherman J, Hernandez-Garbanzo Y, Vargas M, Ramos AI: Implementing food-based dietary guidelines for policies, programmes and nutrition education. UNSCN News 2017, pp 77–89. https://www.unscn.org/uploads/web/news/UNSCN-News42-2017.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
26.
Global Panel: Improved Metrics and Data Are Needed for Effective Food System Policies in the Post-2015 era. Technical Brief. London, Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, 2015. https://www.glopan.org/sites/default/files/pictures/Metrics_Brief.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
27.
Townsend R, Jaffee SM, Hoberg YT, Htenas AM, Shekar M, Hyder Z, Gautam M, Kray H, Ronchi L, Hussain S, Elder LK, Moses E: Future of Food: Shaping the Global Food System to Deliver Improved Nutrition and Health (English). Washington, World Bank Group, 2015. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/474831468186561685/pdf/104757-WP-Future-of-Food-Nut-Health-Web-PUBLIC.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
28.
McClafferty B, Zuckerman JC: Cultivating Nutritious Food Systems: A Snapshot Report. n/d. Washington, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). https://www.gainhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Cultivating-Nutritious-Food-Systems-compressed.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
29.
WCR: NOURISHING FRAMEWORK: World Cancer Research fund International, online database. http://www.wcrf.org/int/policy/nourishing-framework (accessed January 9, 2018).
30.
INFORMAS: Benchmarking Food Environments Network. University of Auckland, New Zealand. https://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/en/soph/global-health/projects/informas.html (accessed January 9, 2018).
31.
Haddad L, Hawkes C, Webb P, Thomas S, Beddington J, Waage J, Flynn D: A new global research agenda for food. Nature 2016; 540: 30–32.
32.
Vandevijvere S, Monteiro C, Krebs-Smith SM, Lee A, Swinburn B, Kelly B, Neal B, Snowdon W, Sacks G; INFORMAS: Monitoring and benchmarking population diet quality globally: a step-wise approach. Obes Rev 2013; 14(suppl 1):135–149.
33.
FAO: Compendium of indicators for nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016. http://www.fao.org/3/a-i6275e.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
34.
SDSN: Indicators and a Monitoring Framework for the Sustainable Development Goals. Launching a data revolution for the SDGs: a report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations by the Leadership Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 2015. http://unsdsn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/150612-FINAL-SDSN-Indicator-Report1.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
35.
Global Panel: Healthy diets for all: a key to meeting the SDGs. Policy Brief No. 10. London, Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, 2017. http://glopan.org/sites/default/files/Downloads/SDGPolicyBrief.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
36.
FAO/Family Health International: Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women: a Guide for Measurement. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016. www.fao.org/3/a-i5486e.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
37.
FAO: Meeting to Reach Consensus on a Global Dietary Diversity Indicator for Women, Washington DC, USA, July 15-16, 2014. Summary Report. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2014. https://www.fantaproject.org/sites/default/files/resources/WDDP-Meeting-Report-Oct2014.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
38.
Martin-Prevel Y, Arimond M, Allemand P, Wiesmann D, Ballard TJ, Deitchler M, Dop MC, Kennedy G, Lartey A, Warren L, Moursi M; on behalf of the Women’s Dietary Diversity Project (WDDP) Study Group: Development of a dichotomous indicator for population-level assessment of dietary diversity in women of reproductive age. Curr Dev Nutr 2017; 1:e001701.
39.
Hudson E: Health and Wellness: The Trillion Dollar Industry in 2017: Key Research Highlights. Euromonitor, 2012.
40.
Hawkes C, Friel S, Lobstein T, Lang T: Linking agricultural policies with obesity and noncommunicable diseases: a new perspective for a globalising world. Food Policy 2012; 37: 343–353.
41.
Pingali P: Agricultural policy and nutrition outcomes – getting beyond the preoccupation with staple grains. Food Sec 2015; 7: 583–591.
42.
Bouis H: The Role of Agriculture and Biofortification in the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition. UNSCN News 2017, pp 33–42. https://www.unscn.org/uploads/web/news/UNSCN-News42-2017.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
43.
Global Panel: Food Systems and Diets: Facing the Challenges of the 21st Century. London, Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, 2016. https://glopan.org/sites/default/files/ForesightReport.pdf (accessed January 9, 2018).
44.
Keats S, Wiggins S: Future Diets: Implications for Agriculture and Food Prices. London, Overseas Development Institute, 2014.
45.
Wiggins S, Keats S: The Rising Cost of a Healthy Diet: Changing Relative Prices of Foods in High-Income and Emerging Economies. London, Overseas Development Institute, 2015.
46.
Monteiro C, Moubarac JC, Cannon G, Ng SW, Popkin B: Ultra-processed products are becoming dominant in the global food system. Obes Rev 2013; 14(suppl 2):21–28.
48.
Popkin BM: Nutritional patterns and transitions. Population and Development Review 1993; 19, pp 138–157.
49.
Popkin BM: The nutrition transition and its health implications in lower-income countries. Public Health Nutr 1998; 1: 5–21.
50.
Popkin BM: The nutrition transition and obesity in the developing world. J Nutr 2001; 131: 871S–873S.
51.
Popkin BM, Adair LS, Ng SW: Global nutrition transition and the pandemic of obesity in developing countries. Nutr Rev 2012: 70: 3–21.
52.
O’Dowd A: Spending on junk food advertising is nearly 30 times what government spends on promoting healthy eating. BMJ 2017; 359:j4677.
53.
Sadeghirad B, Duhaney T, Motaghipisheh S, Campbell NR, Johnston BC: Influence of unhealthy food and beverage marketing on children's dietary intake and preference: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Obes Rev 2016; 17: 945–959.
54.
Boyland EJ, Nolan S, Kelly B, Tudur-Smith C, Jones A, Halford JC, Robinson E: Advertising as a cue to consume: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of acute exposure to unhealthy food and nonalcoholic beverage advertising on intake in children and adults. Am J Clin Nutr 2016; 103: 519–533.
55.
Cairns G, Angus K, Hastings G: The extent, nature and effects of food promotion to children: a review of the evidence to December 2008. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2009.
56.
Osei-Assibey G, Dick S, Macdiarmid J, Semple S, Reilly JJ, Ellaway A, et al: The influence of the food environment on overweight and obesity in young children: a systematic review. BMJ Open 2012; 2:e001538.
57.
Kelly B, Hebden L, King L, Xiao Y, Yu Y, He G, Li L, Zeng L, Hadi H, Karupaiah T, Hoe NS, Noor MI, Yoon J, Kim H: Children's exposure to food advertising on free-to-air television: an Asia-Pacific perspective. Health Promot Int 2016; 31: 144–152.
58.
Meerman J: Food Environments: Linking Food and Agriculture Policies to Diet Quality. Consultative Workshop on Leveraging FAO’s Policy Mapping and Analysis Work to Promote Nutrition. Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, June 17, 2015.
© 2018 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Published by S. Karger AG, Basel
2018
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.
