Whole grains: Experts craft global action plan to increase consumption

19 Dec 2017 --- New data on the links between diet and health show that replacing refined grains with whole grains globally could reduce the burden of chronic disease more than any other change – including better-known approaches such as reducing sodium, eliminating trans fats or even cutting sugar-sweetened beverages.

This eye-opening data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation was revealed during the keynote address at the recent Whole Grain Summit in Vienna. In response to the urgent public health challenge documented by experts speaking at this event, more than 200 scientists from 36 countries participating in the Whole Grain Summit worked to craft a two-year global action plan to increase whole grain consumption.

“Worldwide, cereals provide nearly 50% of energy intake,” said Prof Dr. Fred Brouns, Scientific Chair of the Whole Grain Summit. “Yet the vast majority of these foods are composed of refined grains and flours. Research shows that health benefits from whole grains are associated with replacing as little as two servings of refined grain/flour foods with whole grain foods.” More than two decades of studies indicate that consuming whole grain foods, instead of refined grains and foods made from white flour, is directly related to a lower mortality risk and reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and obesity, and bowel cancer.

"The challenge to increase whole grain is particularly high in regions where white flour based products have been consumed for many decades and have become part of the eating culture. Whole grain differs in taste and flavor. Getting used to these sensory attributes at young age is important to create liking of whole grain," he tells NutritionInsight. "That the gap can be cut has been shown in Denmark where multi-stakeholder interactions, including government and cancer society have implemented very strong campaigns to increase whole grain while reducing white bread consumption. To make this happen a governmental endorsed whole grain logo was developed and introduced to the food industry. This has been very successful," he adds. 

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Academics, non-profit organizations, government policymakers, and industry, working together at the Whole Grain Summit, contributed a dynamic breadth and depth of knowledge to the task of creating a Whole Grain Declaration and long-term action plan. 

Key goals and action points will aim to:

1.    Definitions: Reach a consensus on a global whole grain definition, to support clear product labeling that will help consumers distinguish whole grain products from those with misleading claims.
• Convene a global working group including key grain science groups and experts from diverse regions, to finalize a definition of whole grain (raw materials) using the Healthgrain Forum definition as a starting point.
• Follow a similar process for defining a whole grain food, once a global intake recommendation has been agreed.

2. Intake Recommendation: Establish a quantitative, science-based whole grain intake recommendation and document the health and economic benefits that would result from adopting this recommendation. Use this information to motivate governments and international food authorities to incorporate whole grains into dietary guidelines and actively promote their consumption.
• Document the health evidence for a specific whole grain intake recommendation.
• Commission an evaluation of the economic impact on health care costs, productivity and other factors, from following such an intake.
• Prepare a report detailing the intake recommendation and its economic impact, that can be delivered to policy makers globally.

3. Sustainability: Document the carbon footprint of whole grains, compared with other dietary choices, in the context of growing world populations and climate change.
• Document the carbon footprint of whole grains compared to other dietary choices, in the context of growing world populations and climate change.

4. Promotion and Education: Form strong public-private partnerships to develop campaigns to encourage whole grain consumption and to increase the variety, availability and desirability of whole grain foods for the public.
• Create a “how-to” kit detailing ways to create public-private partnerships (involving entities such as WHO, FAO, nutrition non-profits, disease associations, governments, etc.) and how these partners can best work together.
• Develop evidence-based fact sheets addressing popular myths/questions about whole grains and possible emotional appeals (tied to local cultures) to gives these facts greater impact.

Six international working groups have already been established to carry out the goals agreed in Vienna. Over the next two years, participants in these groups will work intensively under the name of the “Whole Grain Initiative,”, and will interact with the WHO (World Health Organization), FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) and other consortia and food authorities as part of the action plan.

The Whole Grain Summit 2017 was organized by ICC (International Association for Cereal Science and Technology) in cooperation with the Healthgrain Forum and the University of Minnesota. Ongoing work of the Whole Grain Initiative will also be organized by the same three partners.

For over three decades, repeated studies have clearly demonstrated that people eating more whole grains have reduced risks of many diseases compared to those eating less. This has led many countries to adopt specific recommendations for people to choose whole grain-based foods instead of refined grain-based foods. Yet current data suggest that whole grain intake in most countries remains well below existing recommended levels, which is a concern for long-term public health.

This declaration reflects the experts’ consensus on the principal goals that must be addressed, and the actions that must be taken in order to increase whole grain intake.

In terms of the industry response, Brouns calls for the development of good tasting recipes that include much larger whole gain fractions than has been the case until now.

"New technologies are applied, in particular using sourdough cultures which last much longer for fermentation but lead to unique whole grain taste and flavors. In addition, new enzyme treatments are being tested. The bakery industry is working hard to upscale these technologies to help produce whole grain foods for better health," he concludes.

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