NUTRITION

Healthy food. On October 10, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published a report in which it stresses that combating obesity can increase the economic well-being of countries. To this end, the organisation calls for a 20% reduction in the calorie content of high-energy foods. At the same time, the study indicates that the “aggravation of obesity already affects almost 60% of the inhabitants” of its member countries. To reverse the situation, the OECD suggests member countries implement better food, nutrition and labelling policies.

Among the report’s key points is that overweight children perform worse in school, have higher absenteeism, are at greater risk of bullying, and as they grow older are less likely to graduate from university. To address this, the OECD calls for investment in initiatives such as improved food labelling in shops and stronger regulation of advertising of unhealthy products for children, which it says can generate huge savings. 

In addition, the report shows how reducing the calorie content of high-energy foods such as crisps, confectionery and ultra-processed foods by 20% would prevent more than one million cases of chronic disease a year, particularly heart disease. Thus, the OECD proposes developing food guidelines aimed at whole populations, with foods and menus displaying nutritional information and backed by media campaigns. Guidelines such as these, it argues, have the potential to yield significant benefits. 

Next steps

Based on this report, the OECD expects member countries to implement policies to combat obesity and generate economic and social well-being up until 2050. On November 25, OECD countries will meet at the Forum on Green Growth and Sustainable Development in Paris and will resume discussions on policies and lines of action to tackle obesity.