Every year unhealthy diets cause 11 million deaths globally – and our food systems contribute to one risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) that threatens both our well-being and planetary health. At the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), WHO/Europe presented initial findings from the report of an expert meeting on NCDs and climate change which explores multisectoral actions and priorities to effectively tackle major health and environmental concerns.
NCDs – including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and cancer – account for more than 90% of deaths in the WHO European Region. They are closely linked to risk factors such as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco and alcohol consumption, as well as air pollution.
“Climate change presents risks to NCDs through various pathways. For example, a significant portion of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including lung cancer, are attributable to exposures to ambient air pollution, which in the European Region alone is estimated to cause nearly 570 000 premature deaths per year. As climate change amplifies the health effects of air pollution, policies that mitigate climate change while reducing air pollution can have major benefits for NCDs and for climate”, said Dr Francesca Racioppi, Head of the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health.
“We can find actions that promote both human health and planetary health. Our report helps to identify beneficial and effective policies that link the most common cause of death in Europe, NCDs, to climate change”, added Dr Gauden Galea, WHO/Europe Strategic Adviser to the Regional Director, Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation (SNI).
Better diets, physical activity and more knowledge
The report is based on an expert meeting held by WHO/Europe in Bonn on 1–2 December 2022 and explores several ideas that could both limit the impact of climate change and make us healthier.
Some of the most impactful policies highlighted in the report include:
- regulatory approaches to improving diets;
- building capacity to protect health during climate change-related emergencies such as extreme weather events like heat waves or wildfires; and
- investments in transport planning that increase daily physical activity while reducing travel by private motor vehicles.
Creating healthy and sustainable food systems
Some findings of the report were presented during the COP28 event “Healthy and sustainable diets for nurturing people and planet”, recognizing the huge impact our food systems have on health and the environment.
Foods high in salt, added sugars and trans fats can harm our health and lead to early death. At the same time, the production of food may contribute to soil pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and packaging waste.
Diet Impact Assessment tool: transforming data into action
One of the latest WHO/Europe instruments is the Diet Impact Assessment (DIA) tool, developed to guide policy-makers, researchers, and practitioners in the WHO European Region seeking to improve the human and planetary health impact of national diets.
“Creating healthier and more sustainable food systems is among the most effective ways of improving people’s health and lowering the environmental impact. To support Member States on this path, WHO/Europe's SNI recently launched the DIA tool that can help decision-makers to choose the best evidence-based and country-focused measures”, said Dr Kremlin Wickramasinghe, WHO/Europe’s Regional Adviser for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity.
Using the latest quality statistical databases, the DIA tool examines health indicators, such as avoidable premature deaths and risk factors for major diseases, as well as environmental analyses, covering greenhouse gas emissions, cropland and freshwater use, for each diet scenario.
The tool is available for anyone to use, which can help Member States of the WHO European Region and beyond to create a healthier world for future generations.