Current eating habits could cost about 3 billion by 2030 in health and emissions
MADRID, 13 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Hunger is closely related to the inability of millions of people around the world to be able to afford a healthy diet, a fact that in turn entails a series of “hidden costs”, both due to the impact it has on health and due to the one that current food trends have on the environment. Therefore, according to the UN, it is essential to transform food systems globally.
Today, what is considered a healthy diet costs much more than the 1.9 dollars a day that the international poverty line is established, hence eating healthy is out of reach for many people, according to the ‘Report on the state of food security and nutrition in the world’, presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) , the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
In 2017, there were more than 3 billion people in the world who could not afford a healthy diet. Of these, 1,900 were in Asia and 965 million in Africa, although the problem also affects Latin America and the Caribbean (104.2 million), and North America and Europe (18 million).
But to the cost and affordability of diets, which varies around the world depending on region and context, we must add the so-called “hidden costs” that our food choices and the food systems that support them imply.
HEALTH COST
First, it highlights the cost of health care. Thus, the document warns that if current food consumption habits continue, the health costs related to diet, derived from mortality and non-communicable diseases, will exceed 1.3 billion dollars a year by 2030.
On the other hand, according to the UN agencies, if one opted for healthy diets, the direct and indirect health costs would be reduced by up to 97 percent, thus generating important savings that could be invested in reducing the cost of nutritious food.
As for the second hidden cost, that relating to the diet-related social cost of greenhouse gas emissions derived from current eating habits, it is projected to reach $ 1.7 billion a year by 2030.
However, adopting healthy diets that include sustainability considerations would reduce the cost of greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 41 to 74 percent by 2030.
The food system of current consumption habits is responsible for between 21 and 37 percent of greenhouse gas emissions generated by human activity, which makes it “one of the main factors of climate change, including without taking into account other environmental effects, “according to the report.
FOOD SYSTEMS MUST BE TRANSFORMED
Thus, the heads of the five agencies behind the report argue in the foreword that “we face the challenge of transforming food systems to ensure that no one is constrained by high prices for nutritious food or lack of income to afford a healthy diet, while ensuring that food production and consumption contribute to environmental sustainability. “
However, they admit, “there is no one-size-fits-all solution for countries, and policymakers will have to assess context-specific barriers, manage tradeoffs, and maximize synergies such as potential environmental benefits. to achieve the necessary transformations. “
Among the recommendations made by the report is the “urgent restoration of the balance of agricultural policies and incentives to achieve a more nutrition-sensitive investment in food and agricultural production, especially of fruits and vegetables, and protein-rich foods of origin. animal and vegetable, such as legumes, poultry meat, fish and dairy products. “
Likewise, it is committed to increasing efficiency in the storage, processing, packaging, distribution and marketing of food, reducing their losses, and to greater efficiency of internal trade and marketing mechanisms, so that food can be equally affordable for both urban and rural consumers.
PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT AND PROMOTE HEALTHY DIETS
Moreover, according to UN agencies, increasing the affordability of healthy diets requires policies that promote employment and income-generating activities, reduce income inequality, and ensure that no one is left behind. Thus, they argue that “social protection programs that take into account nutrition will be especially necessary to support the poor population and those who experience humanitarian crises.”
Likewise, they see the need for policies aimed at promoting healthy diets, such as the promotion of healthy food environments, the application of taxes on hypercaloric foods, the regulation of the food industry and food marketing, and policies that support education in this area. nutrition, sustainable food consumption and reduction of food waste.
The heads of UN agencies are confident that the report’s recommendations, “once adapted to the context of each country, will help governments reduce the cost of nutritious food, make healthy diets affordable for all people and enable vulnerable people to work in food systems to earn a living income that improves their own food security. ” With this, they add, “a transformation of existing food systems that will make them resilient and sustainable” would be launched.
“Our agencies are firmly committed to supporting a change that makes healthy diets more affordable for all people and contributes to the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition in children and adults”, emphasize the Head of FAO, WFP, UNICEF, WHO and IFAD.
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