TY - JOUR

T1 - Consensus-building around the conceptualisation and implementation of sustainable healthy diets: a foundation for policymakers

AU - Bach-Faig, Anna

AU - Wickramasinghe, Kremlin

AU - Panadero, Natalia

AU - Fàbregues, Sergi

AU - Rippin, Holly

AU - Halloran, Afton

AU - Fresán, Ujué

AU - Pattison, Mary

AU - Breda, João

N1 - © 2022. The Author(s).

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Background: Healthy and sustainable diets need to be adopted to reduce the negative impact of food consumption on human and planetary health. Food systems account for a third of greenhouse gas emissions. "Dietary Patterns for Health and Sustainability" is a World Health Organization (WHO) project that aims to build consensus among international food, health, and sustainability experts and policymakers on how to conceptualise healthy and sustainable diets and on the actions and policies that could be implemented in the WHO European Region to promote these diets.Methods: A qualitative study among European food, health, and sustainability experts and policymakers to elicit their views on multiple dimensions of food sustainability and health was carried out using a three-phase process, including semi-structured interviews, a Nominal Group Technique, and focus groups during a participatory WHO workshop held in Copenhagen. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the three data sources.Results: The workshop resulted in a shared understanding of the interconnected components of sustainable healthy eating habits. As a result of this understanding, a variety of potential solutions were identified, including actions across different policy domains, tools, strategic guidelines, needs, and pathways for sustainable healthy diets. The pathways included the need for a multi-stakeholder approach, as well as the simultaneous execution of an aligned and coherent mix of policies at the local and national levels.Conclusions: The prioritised actions should be aimed at helping government policymakers promote sustainable healthy diets and make decisions on improving dietary patterns for citizens' health and wellbeing in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the European Region.

AB - Background: Healthy and sustainable diets need to be adopted to reduce the negative impact of food consumption on human and planetary health. Food systems account for a third of greenhouse gas emissions. "Dietary Patterns for Health and Sustainability" is a World Health Organization (WHO) project that aims to build consensus among international food, health, and sustainability experts and policymakers on how to conceptualise healthy and sustainable diets and on the actions and policies that could be implemented in the WHO European Region to promote these diets.Methods: A qualitative study among European food, health, and sustainability experts and policymakers to elicit their views on multiple dimensions of food sustainability and health was carried out using a three-phase process, including semi-structured interviews, a Nominal Group Technique, and focus groups during a participatory WHO workshop held in Copenhagen. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the three data sources.Results: The workshop resulted in a shared understanding of the interconnected components of sustainable healthy eating habits. As a result of this understanding, a variety of potential solutions were identified, including actions across different policy domains, tools, strategic guidelines, needs, and pathways for sustainable healthy diets. The pathways included the need for a multi-stakeholder approach, as well as the simultaneous execution of an aligned and coherent mix of policies at the local and national levels.Conclusions: The prioritised actions should be aimed at helping government policymakers promote sustainable healthy diets and make decisions on improving dietary patterns for citizens' health and wellbeing in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the European Region.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Diet

KW - Food

KW - Sustainability

KW - Environment

KW - Planetary health

KW - Qualitative research

KW - Food policy

U2 - 10.1186/s12889-022-13756-y

DO - 10.1186/s12889-022-13756-y

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35927688

VL - 22

JO - BMC Public Health

JF - BMC Public Health

SN - 1471-2458

M1 - 1480

ER -