Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition

FAO

 

FSN Forum

 

DISCUSSION No. 129   •   FSN Forum digest No. 1240

Are there any successful policies and programmes to fight overweight and obesity?

until 5 July 2016

 

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Dear Members,

The online discussion: Are there any successful policies and programmes to fight overweight and obesity? continues to attract comments from all over the world; below we share with you the latest ones received.

Overweight and obesity are becoming a severe public health problem in many countries: 2.5 billion adults were overweight or obese in 2014. Realizing the importance of this issue, some countries are implementing policies and programmes aimed at reducing the incidence of overweight and obesity.

What is your view on how to create effective policies and programmes to succeed in fighting overweight and obesity?

All comments received so far and further background information are available on the discussion webpage. Your participation is welcome in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.

We look forward to keep learning from you! 

Your FSN Forum team

 

 

CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED

iconAhmad Elalouani, FAO, Morocco

Ahmad stresses that in countries with a plentiful food supply, it is mainly the overabundance of easily available and cheap food to cause obesity.

Physical activities such as sports and defining a correct dietary regimen are thus very important and should be supported.

Read the contribution

 

iconChristian Häberli, World Trade Institute, Switzerland

Christian focuses on the role of trade. He argues that while trade contributes to food security where it benefits food availability, unfettered free trade can increase inequalities of income and make it more difficult to adopt healthy diets. He therefore calls for a more prominent role of health considerations in trade policy formulation.

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iconLal Manavado, University of Oslo affiliate, Norway

Lal shares a detailed description of the elements that need to be taken into account during policy formulation for obesity reduction.

First, it is crucial to consider the reasons for inadequate dietary education and the persistence of older dietary habits. Then it is necessary to work on improving school curricula with respect to nutrition education, provide extension services to farmers and to create an economic environment that incentivizes companies to produce healthier food.

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iconAnnie Luteijn, Netherlands

Annie sees a fundamental problem in the way we eat. Products we consume are often modified for better taste or cheaper prices, and can have negative effects on our metabolisms.

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iconClaudio Schuftan, PHM, Viet Nam

Claudio argues that the role of nutrition activists needs to go beyond advocating. In order to help bring about true change, it is necessary to proactively demand such change from the respective duty bearers.

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iconEric B. Trachtenberg, McLarty Associates, USA

Eric shares information on the proposed Alliance for Food & Health (AFH), a global multi-stakeholder initiative designed to find new ways to address the global challenges related to food/nutrition and noncommunicable diseases.

The group includes highly diverse actors in international organizations, industry, academia, governments, and the scientific community, including: the WHO/New York, IFPRI, FDA, IFIC, ILSI, IFT, Tufts University and many others.

Read the contribution

 

 

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