Disrupted food systems in the WHO European region – a threat or opportunity for healthy and sustainable food and nutrition?

Holly L. Rippin (), Kremlin Wickramasinghe (), Afton Halloran, Stephen Whiting (), Julianne Williams (), Kathrin Hetz (), Adriana Pinedo () and João J. Breda ()
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Holly L. Rippin: World Health Organization European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases
Kremlin Wickramasinghe: World Health Organization European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases
Afton Halloran: World Health Organization European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases
Stephen Whiting: World Health Organization European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases
Julianne Williams: World Health Organization European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases
Kathrin Hetz: World Health Organization European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases
Adriana Pinedo: World Health Organization European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases
João J. Breda: World Health Organization European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases

Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, 2020, vol. 12, issue 4, No 23, 859-864

Abstract: Abstract Dietary health and sustainability are inextricably linked. Food systems that are not sustainable often fail to provide the amount or types of food needed to ensure population health. The ongoing pandemic threatens to exacerbate malnutrition, and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This paper discusses threats and opportunities for food environments and health status across the WHO European Region in the current context . These opportunities and threats are focused around four key areas: NCDs and health systems; dietary behaviour; food insecurity and vulnerable groups; and food supply mechanisms. Food systems were already under great stress. Now with the pandemic, the challenges to food systems in the WHO European Region have been exacerbated, demanding from all levels of government swift adaptations to manage healthiness, availability, accessibility and affordability of food. Cities and governments in the Region should capitalize on this unique opportunity to ‘build back better’ and make bold and lasting changes to the food system and consequently to the health and wellbeing of people and sustainability of the planet.

Keywords: Healthy diets; Sustainable diets; Noncommunicable diseases; Food systems; COVID-19; WHO European region (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1007/s12571-020-01079-y

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