The global food system is at a crossroads. Post-World War II, the world focused on producing high-calorie food to address hunger, but today we face new challenges: rising obesity, diet-related chronic diseases, and an agricultural system that threatens the planet's health. The World Economic Forum's "New Frontiers of Nutrition" initiative, developed in collaboration with Accenture, seeks to address these issues by reshaping global nutrition and making healthier food choices accessible for all.
Why Change is Urgent
While hunger has decreased worldwide, over 800 million people still face food insecurity. Meanwhile, obesity and diet-related diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, are now the leading causes of death globally, with 1.9 billion people overweight or obese. The food system, designed for efficiency and affordability, has fueled this crisis, with a significant increase in the consumption of ultra-processed, nutrient-poor foods. The report highlights that poor nutrition now kills more people than hunger, claiming 17 million lives annually—more than twice the death toll of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Holistic Approach to Nutrition
The initiative calls for a transformation in how we grow, manufacture, and consume food. It emphasizes the need for a diet rich in minimally processed, plant-forward, and nutrient-dense foods. The core message is simple: nutrition is the foundation of human health, and the food system must evolve to prioritize not just calories but also the quality and sustainability of what we consume.
Strategic Levers for Food System Transformation
The report identifies five key levers to drive this transformation:
Grow and Manufacture Diverse, Nutrient-Dense Food: Moving away from monoculture crops, the focus shifts to growing a variety of nutrient-rich foods that benefit both human health and the environment.
Reformulate Unhealthy Processed Foods: The goal is to reduce the levels of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats in processed foods, making them as healthy as possible without compromising taste or affordability.
Make Nutritious Food More Affordable and Accessible: Addressing the affordability gap, especially in low-income communities, is crucial. Government incentives and innovations in food production will help make healthy foods available to all.
Create a Retail Environment That Promotes Healthy Choices: Retailers play a critical role in transforming consumer behavior. By making healthy options more visible and affordable, they can drive healthier purchasing decisions.
Amplify Consumer Awareness of Food and Health: Increasing consumer awareness about the link between food choices and health will empower individuals to make better decisions for themselves and their families.
A Call to Action
The report outlines two action platforms: Portfolio Innovation and Measurement, which encourages food producers to reformulate their products for better nutrition, and Frontier Business Models, focusing on using innovative business models and technologies to improve health through nutrition. These platforms will drive collaboration between public and private sectors, ensuring that health-centric food systems become the new normal.
Conclusion
Transforming the global food system for human health and resilience requires bold, collective action. The stakes are high, with diet-related diseases taking a staggering toll on human lives and planetary health. The "New Frontiers of Nutrition" report provides a roadmap for this transformation, highlighting the critical steps needed to create a future where nutritious food is widely available, affordable, and accessible to all.