The World Health Organization (WHO) has published new guidelines aimed at creating food environments that encourage healthy eating. The recommendations focus on fiscal measures, such as taxes and subsidies, to make healthier foods more accessible and affordable while discouraging the consumption of unhealthy options.

Current Food Landscape Challenges

Many people today live and work in environments where highly processed foods, rich in unhealthy fats, sugars, and sodium, are readily available and heavily marketed. These foods are often cheap, making it difficult for consumers to make healthy dietary choices. Unhealthy diets have become a major global health issue, contributing to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancers.

Evidence Supporting Fiscal Policies

The new WHO guideline is based on growing evidence that fiscal policies can influence dietary habits. For example, taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) have been shown to reduce their consumption. Similarly, subsidies for healthy foods like fruits and vegetables make them more affordable, encouraging higher consumption. These measures can lead to better food choices and improved public health outcomes.

Dr. Ruediger Krech, Director of the Department of Health Promotion at WHO, highlighted the potential of fiscal policies: "Subsidies can encourage consumption of healthy products, while taxes can discourage consumption of health-harming products and encourage industry to reformulate its products."

Global Implementation Efforts

Governments are increasingly taking action to promote healthy diets and reduce diet-related NCDs. As of February 2024, 115 countries have implemented national taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. Additionally, 41 countries have taxed various categories of unhealthy foods. However, fewer countries have provided subsidies for healthy foods or removed taxes on these products.

Dr. Francesco Branca, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO, noted the progress and challenges: "Governments around the world have begun to act – most notably by taxing sugar-sweetened beverages. Despite progress in this area, they continue to face challenges in developing fiscal policies that promote healthy diets."

Guideline for Future Actions

The WHO guideline offers evidence-based recommendations to help countries implement effective fiscal policies for healthier diets. These measures are part of a comprehensive approach to improving public health by making healthier food choices more accessible and affordable.