FAO urges aligning trade policies with nutrition goals to curb obesity and boost diverse diets

Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN’s (FAO) latest report emphasizes the need to align trade policies with nutrition goals to enhance global diet quality while mitigating trade-driven dietary shifts that contribute to obesity and malnutrition.

The report “Trade and Nutrition: Policy Coherence for Healthy Diets” finds robust global trade growth of food and agricultural products, which has benefitted food and nutrient diversity, availability and affordability. 

“The expansion of global food trade has been influenced by multilateral trade rules that have shaped a freer, fairer and more predictable trade environment, which, along with an increasing number of regional trade agreements, has promoted trade in food,” comments FAO director-general QU Dongyu.

Nutrition transition

The report finds food and agricultural trade nearly quintupled, rising from US$400 billion in 2000 to US$1.9 trillion in 2022.

It underscores that trade plays a crucial role in our agri-food systems by transferring food from areas of surplus to areas of deficit, promoting global food security.

However, trade has also increasingly harmed dietary patterns that are low in nutritional value and high in fats, sugar and salt. 

Underscoring the link between trade and nutrition, the report concerns import demands for ultra-processed foods, especially when income rises.

“A 10% increase in income results in an 11% increase in the demand for imports of ultra-processed foods and a 7% increase in the demand for imports of unprocessed and minimally processed foods,” details the report.

“Along the development path, income growth, urbanization, globalization and changes in employment are interrelated, occur simultaneously and reinforce each other. All affect food consumption and the composition of diets, giving rise to a nutrition transition.”

FAO suggests creating trade policies to meet national nutrition and health goals so “trade does not undermine diet quality and contribute to rising rates of obesity and overweight.”

Undernourishment fell from 12.7% in 2000 to 9.2% in 2022. During this period, obesity in the global adult population increased from 8.7% to 15.8%.WHO’s unit head for Food and Nutrition Action in Health Systems in the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, recently told Nutrition Insight: “Many nutrition priorities, such as increased breastfeeding, avoidance of ultra-processed foods and reductions in red meat consumption, are also priorities for reducing the food industry’s carbon footprint and thus contribute to the achievement of SDGs 12 and 13 on responsible consumption/production and climate action.”

In other news, we spoke to FAO about its Nourish and Thrive project in Zimbabwe to learn how climate change is impacting food security. Earlier this year, FAO released a report titled “Integrating Africa’s forgotten foods for better nutrition,” which suggests “forgotten crops” can improve nutrition security.

Trade is essential 

The report asserts that international trade is fundamental for nutrition security as it doubles food diversity. Countries with less diverse geographies, such as Kiribati or Norway, stand to benefit from such trade. Additionally, the report shows that dietary diversity is also key to getting necessary micronutrients.

“Between 2010 and 2020, the expansion of trade helped increase the average supply per capita of micronutrients across countries,” the report details. “For example, during this period, the per capita trade of the B-vitamins riboflavin and thiamine and the minerals calcium and zinc increased by around 40%.”

“The adequacy of a nutrient supply is affected by many factors such as natural resource endowments, climate and population density. Although the adequacy of the nutrient supply can be high in countries that are relatively less integrated in global markets, it is always high at elevated levels of trade openness.”

FAO argues that trade-driven diversity equally distributes nutrients such as vitamin C, calcium and zinc. This is underlined as several food producers do not meet the nutrient requirements for their populations.

Price-wise, the report finds food prices for staples — fresh foods and processed foods — are generally lower in countries open to trade. Trade across all food categories has risen since 2000, with staple foods making the largest share of traded calories, but this share is declining. 

However, shares of fats and oils, pulses, seeds and nuts, and animal-source foods are rising, warns FAO. Undernourishment fell from 12.7% in 2000 to 9.2% in 2022. During this period, obesity in the global adult population increased from 8.7% to 15.8%.

International trade is fundamental for nutrition security as it doubles food diversity.Key discoveries

In 2021, nearly 5,000 trillion kilocalories were traded, more than double the dietary energy in 2000. 

Daily per capita food trade increased to 1,640 kcal from 930. A 10% increase in income led to an 11% increase in the demand for ultra-processed foods and a 7% increase in unprocessed and minimally processed foods. 

Between 1961 and 2021, the global per capita average dietary energy increased by 35%, with staple foods decreasing from 57.2% to 48.4% and animal source foods growing from 12.2% to 15.1%. Fats and oil increased from 8.4% to 12.7%

Per capita trade in vitamin C and calcium from food increased by almost 90% between 2000 and 2021. 

In 2021, ultra-processed foods comprised 12% of food imports in high-income nations and 7% of calories traded globally.

Obesity epidemic

The rise in obesity levels worldwide reflects the increasing demand for anti-weight loss solutions. 

For instance, researchers at the University of South Australia recently created a food-grade natural alternative to anti-obesity medications — InuMCT microcapsules.

According to ING analysis, it is preferable and more economical to cover weight loss medications as soon as possible, provided that accessibility is protected and that preventative measures are implemented for diabetics.

An earlier FAO report highlighted the role that diet plays in preventing foodborne illnesses, noncommunicable and communicable diseases, and promoting general health.