Building alliances to regulate

food environments and prevent

obesity Francesco Branca

Director, Department of Nutrition for Health and Development

WHO/HQ

HACIA UN MUNDO MÁS SALUDABLE: PROMOVIENDO ALIANZAS

PARA LA REGULACIÓN DE ENTORNOS ALIMENTARIOS

August 21st-22nd 2017

Unhealthy diet is the top risk factor

for premature deaths and disability

Source : Lancet, Sep 2015

11.3 M deaths

241.4 M DALYs

1.7 M deaths

176.9 M DALYs

4.4 M deaths

134 M DALYs

Obesity is growing worldwide

Lancet 2016; 387: 1377–96

266

million

375

million

Caloric share (%) of ultra-processed products

in the national food basket

Source . Carlos Monteiro. Estimated from national houshold food expenditure surveys: Brasil (HBS), UK

(LCF), Canada (FOODEX), Chile (EPF), Colombia (ENIG), and Mexico (ENIGH).

2nd International Conference on Nutrition

An opportunity to work together and fight all forms of malnutrition

Country owned and country led action to implement agenda 2030

A time for all stakeholders to take ACTION

Six cross-cutting action areas

Action area 1: Sustainable, resilient food systems for healthy diets

Action area 2: Aligned health systems providing universal coverage of essential nutrition actions

Action area 3: Social protection and nutrition education

Action area 4: Trade and investment for improved nutrition Action area 5: Safe and supportive environments for nutrition at all ages

Action area 6: Review, strengthen and promote nutrition governance and accountability

Means of implementation:

Commitments for action

Member States and other partners

are encouraged to make SMART

commitments for action on nutrition.

Country-specific commitments will

reflect national priorities and depend

on the country’s nutrition situation,

and current food and health

systems.

FAO and WHO are preparing a

resource guide to assist countries.

Commitments are expected to be

signed off by high-level

representatives of countries.

Registration in an open access

commitment repository, created and

managed by the joint FAO/WHO

Secretariat.

For public accountability, the

submitted commitments will be

tracked on a regular basis by

country self-assessments.

UN system agencies and platforms

will assist countries.

Examples of commitments

Brazil

Stop the growth in the adult

obesity rate (which currently

stands at 20.8%)

Reduce by at least 30%

consumption of sugar-

sweetened beverages among

adults

Increase by at least 17.8% the

proportion of adults who

regularly eat fruit and vegetables

Ecuador

Generar entornos que

favorezcan la salud de la

población.

Fomentar la lactancia materna

Captar tempranamente y brindar

atención integral en salud a

embarazadas, niños menores de

5 años, escolares, con énfasis

en educación en salud.

Propiciar la participación

comunitaria e intersectorial.

Means of implementation:

Action networks

Action networks are informal coalitions of countries.

They aim at advocating for the establishment of policies/legislation, allowing

the exchange of practices, providing mutual support to accelerate

implementation.

An action network may be established at the request of one or more countries

that have made formal commitments. The network consists of countries

committed to being active members being prepared to put actions forward

and implement them.

The joint Secretariat will disseminate action network information.

Nutrition Decade champions are frontrunners and lead by example.

How to establish action networks

Leading country(ies)

Initial group of participating countries

Define objectives – usually better if focussed

UN provides support but network is country led

Periodic meetings

European Action network on

Marketing foods to children

Initiated by Norway, now led by Portugal

28 countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France,

Greece, Ireland, Israel, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway,

Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom)

work together to find ways to reduce the marketing pressure on

children of energy-dense, micronutrient-poor foods and beverages.

established in January 2008 - meetings in September 2008,February

2009, June 2009, March 2010, March 2011, March 2012, May

2013, August 2014 , June 2015 and April 2016.

WHO, European Commission, UNSCN, FAO, UNICEF, World Obesity

and Consumers International have participated as Network observers.

European Salt Action network

established with the support of the United Kingdom Food Standards

Agency (FSA) now led by Switzerland

23 countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, France,

Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malta, Netherlands,

Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovenia,

Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom).

countries committed to reducing salt intake and building international

action on salt reduction; information exchange on the implementation

of salt-reduction strategies, technological progress and

developmental processes related to salt reduction; technical expertise

on setting salt targets, monitoring levels of salt intake and salt in

products, and communicating with the public.

Established in 2008 - further meetings in 2009 and 2011.

WHO/Europe and the European Commission participate as observers.

Examples of action networks

Sustainable fisheries (Norway)

Food labelling

Fruit and vegetable promotion

Food procurements in schools

Canada Iran

France

Chile

UK

Ecuador

Action network on food labelling –

potentially interested countries

Opportunity to share commitments and

create alliances

Committee on World Food Security – Rome, 11 October

2017

WHO Global Conference on NCDs - Montevideo, 18-20

October 2017

High Level Event on Nutrition - Milan, 4 November 2017

Thank you