FAO-WHO Launch Report on Diet and Health

Diet Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases is the name of an independent expert report presented by FAO and World Health Organization (WHO) in late April at FAO headquarters in Rome.

To launch the report were the heads of both agencies Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of WHO and Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of FAO. The report, which was the result of a joint effort between FAO and the WHO in an expert consultation, will serve as a basis to devise a strategy to combat the burden of chronic disease.

"The report is significant because we will be using it as the critical science-based foundation for the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, which we are preparing to address this growing chronic disease burden," said Dr. Brundtland.

Chronic diseases include diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and obesity among others and constitute one of the main reasons of world death. According to statistics, in 2001, 59 percent of the 56.5 million reported deaths were caused by chronic diseases. The best way to fight these diseases is by adopting healthier diets and increased physical activity behaviour, said the report.

The report also addressed the double burden of diseases in the developing world where hunger and malnutrition remain among the most devastating problems of the world's poorest countries. In this respect, Dr. Jacques Diouf explained that "today, only a minority of people in the world are eating the amounts of fruits and vegetables recommended by this report. Our organization is facing a strong challenge on how to increase supplies of fruits and vegetables in a way that will allow all people everywhere in the world to have access to them."

The steps to be taken by both organizations from the presentation of this report, lie in the implementation of a comprehensive strategy in consultation with member states and partners in order to develop the most appropriate responses in terms of health and agriculture practices.

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