EAT-Lancet report shines spotlight on healthy diets

Today's publication of the latest EAT-Lancet report shines an important spotlight on the role of healthy diets in improving population health. FoodDrinkEurope, representing Europe's largest manufacturing industry - food and drink makers, shares the commitment to encouraging nutritious and sustainable food choices.

The report rightly recognises that successful implementation of dietary recommendations requires careful consideration of cultural contexts and the promotion of culturally appropriate and sustainable dietary traditions. It is important to assess their implications carefully to ensure that future actions are coherent, practical, and evidence-based. All foods and drinks, including animal and plant-based products, have an important role to play in a healthy and sustainable diet, and shoring up food and nutrition security for an increasing global population.

Unfortunately, the report adopts a critical stance toward food processing, particularly in relation to so-called "ultra-processed foods". Public authorities across Europe, including the UK, Nordic countries, and France, all reject the use of the ultra-processed food concept as a basis for developing public health policy because it lacks scientific consensus and it risks undermining existing public health efforts.

The best way to address diet-related health issues, including rising levels of obesity and non-communicable diseases, is to focus on the nutritional content of a food and how often we consume it, in conjunction with what type of lifestyle we lead. The EU food and drink industry is playing its part by reformulating products to more nutritious recipes, making responsible portion sizes, investing in nutrition literacy, and supporting research.