Future Diets Report

February 12th, 2014

Early this year, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), a British think tank, issued the Future Diets Report. Discussing the nutritional transition that takes place around the globe, its key findings suggest that obesity among adults continues to grow especially in the developing world. This process has been linked to rising incomes that lead to a marked shift in diets from foods such as cereals and tubers to meat, fat and sugar, as well as vegetables and fruit. The report argues that at this stage there seems to be little will among political leaders and the public to influence the food choices people make through policy mechanism – a fact that could change in the face of the serious health implications. The report concludes that a combination of regulation, prices and education represent the most effective measure to battle obesity.

In his comments on the Future Diets Report Professor Barry Popkin from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one of the leading Choices scientists, confirms that there is a clear transition from undernutrition towards obesity in almost every region in the world. Especially in Latin America and the Middle East, obesity rates have shown dramatic increases, while government policy to tackle this challenge has not yet taken shape sufficiently.

According to Prof. Popkin, Mexico represents an interesting example of how rising obesity rates can be counteracted through regulatory measures. Currently under preparation, the policy package to be introduced by the Nieto administration includes a tax on sugary drinks and junk food, as well as a positive front-of-pack label based on the principles of the Choices International Programme. Both measures combined, together with a shift in culture, are hoped to reduce the rates of obesity in Mexico and act as an example for other countries in the region.