A practice guide to effective population-based food policy actions to promote healthy diets

Changing dietary habits, resulting from globalization of food systems, urbanization and economic growth are key drivers of overweight and obesity. The increasing risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and the corresponding rise in overweight and obesity highlights the importance of preventive strategies. Easy availability and access to a wide variety of low-cost, aggressively marketed pre-packaged processed or ultra- processed foods high in fat, sugar and salt are changing dietary patterns of people and fuelling obesity. Prevention of obesity is best enabled if the surrounding food environment supports healthy diets. Therefore, governments have a responsibility towards ensuring healthy food environments. 

WHO’s Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health and the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013-2020 proposes several population-based actions including regulatory measures, to improve the food environment. Product reformulation towards a healthier nutrient composition, fiscal policies that target unhealthy foods and subsidizes healthier foods, restricting marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages high in fat, sugar and salt and labelling of food products to empower people to consume healthier foods are suggested options.