Poor dietary habits remain one of the leading risk factors for chronic disease worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, with millions of deaths linked each year to conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.
An unhealthy diet continues to be one of the major drivers of chronic disease globally, contributing to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and a range of conditions linked to obesity, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO recommends eating more fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and wholegrains, while cutting down on salt, sugar and fats, and choosing unsaturated fats over saturated ones. Officials say improving dietary habits is not simply a matter of individual choice, but a societal issue requiring a coordinated, population-wide approach.
WHO dietary guidelines
According to WHO guidance, adults should consume at least 400 grams, or five portions, of fruit and vegetables each day, not including potatoes and other starchy roots. Free sugars should make up less than 10% of total daily energy intake, with the organisation noting that reducing this further, to below 5%, provides additional health benefits. On salt, the WHO advises adults to consume less than 5 grams per day in order to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Trans fats, meanwhile, should account for less than 1% of total energy intake, with the organisation calling for industrially produced trans fats to be eliminated from the food supply altogether.
Scale of the obesity and disease burden
Reports on global health present what the WHO describes as alarming figures for the prevalence of obesity and noncommunicable disease. Overweight and obesity are described as potent risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and are among the major contributors to premature death worldwide. Data compiled for adults aged 15 and over across 16 countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region found the highest rates of overweight and obesity in Kuwait, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain, with prevalence ranging from 74% to 86% among women and 69% to 77% among men in those countries.
The rising rate of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents has been highlighted as a particular concern, given recent evidence linking childhood and adolescent obesity to a greater risk of obesity and related health problems in adulthood.
Wider health consequences
Globally, unhealthy diets are linked to millions of deaths each year, primarily through an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and type 2 diabetes. Poor diet has also been associated with micronutrient deficiencies, including insufficient intake of iron, vitamin A and iodine, which can impair growth, immunity and cognitive development, particularly in children.
Calls for a coordinated public health response
Public health experts say tackling the problem will require action beyond individual behaviour change. Measures such as improving access to affordable, nutritious food, introducing clearer food labelling, restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods to children, and implementing policies to reduce salt, sugar and trans fats in the food supply have all been identified as ways to help improve dietary habits across entire populations. The WHO has described the response needed as one that must be multisectoral, multi-disciplinary and culturally relevant, reflecting the scale and complexity of the challenge.
