Health and nutrition policy | TableDebates

A plate of veggies. Credit: Ella Olsson via pexels

Journal articles

Global estimation of dietary micronutrient inadequacies: a modelling analysis

This study suggests over 5 billion people don’t consume enough iodine, vitamin E and calcium, and over 4 billion don’t consume enough iron, riboflavin, folate and vitamin C. Researchers claim this analysis provides the first global estimates of inadequate micronutrient intakes using dietary intake data, highlighting highly prevalent gaps across nutrients and variability by sex.

Farmer and daughter walking a cow through a rice field

Journal articles

Bridging food systems and One Health

This review explores the potential of combining two significant conceptual frameworks, the food systems approach (FSA) and the One Health approach (OHA), in aiding the management of zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19. Both FSA and OHA take holistic approaches to complex problems, but the authors note they also have blind spots. The researchers seek evidence as to whether the combination of these two approaches could better manage zoonotic disease outbreaks in the future. They conclude noting that the integration of One Health and food system approaches may help overcome challenges of operationalizing One Health and lack of inclusion of health issues and zoonotic diseases in food systems.

A tray of fast food including a burger, fries, and a drink. Photo by Christopher Williams on Unsplash.

Journal articles

Determinants of obesity in Latin America

A recent study has reviewed the main determinants of obesity and discussed how they impact obesity rates in Latin America. The review identifies eight determinants of obesity; physical environment, food exposure, economic and political interest, social inequality, limited access to scientific knowledge, culture, contextual behaviour and genetics. The authors analyse these determinants in the context of Latin America to provide evidence and guidance for public policy and strategy aimed at understanding and slowing the growth rate of obesity.

Letterbox, is the UPF concept useful and for what goals

Series 5: Is the Ultra-processed Food (UPF) concept useful, and for what goals?

It is hard to open a newspaper or lifestyle magazine now without finding the concept of ‘ultra-processed food’ somewhere mentioned. Based on the idea that not only a product’s content but the processes involved in its manufacture determine its health value, UPF has captured public attention. How useful is the classification, and what can its use achieve? In this TABLE Letterbox Exchange, Rob Percival, Anthony Warner and Mike Rayner were asked to consider in their debate i) the multiple understandings of the UPF concept, ii) the context and conditions of its successful or unsuccessful use, and iii) the relative goals and outcomes of i) and ii). The Letterbox will feature a total of nine letters. Read more about the origins and terms of the concept in TABLE’s UPF Explainer.

Book front cover titled Understanding Obesity by Stanley Ulijaszek

Understanding Obesity

In this book, Stanley Ulijaszek attempts to pull apart the entangled fields and viewpoints concerned with obesity to weave together a cohesive understanding of the issue plaguing many countries around the world. The author takes an interdisciplinary approach to elucidate facts in the midst of decades of failed policy and interventions.

Front cover of report titled Food, Agriculture and Nutrition in South Asia. Image contains a satellite view of South Asia and circular pictures of people of the region.

Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition in South Asia

This report reflects on trends in hunger and malnutrition in South Asia, highlighting the growing issue of obesity coexisting with rising levels of hunger and malnutrition. It proposes new policy actions targeting the entire food value chain in order to address the challenges which have destabilised South Asian food systems over the past five years.

Image of a person eating a hamburger. Image by Szabo Viktor via Unsplash

News and resources

Government-Backed Meat Ad Campaign Targets Gen Z in Veganuary

A recent campaign launched by the DEFRA appointed Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has faced criticism for contradicting scientific evidence. Experts say, the 'Let's Eat Balanced' campaign, describes misleading information that ignores negative health impacts associated with meat and dairy-rich diets, and lacks adequate attention to environmental issues connected to heavy meat consumption.

Front cover of the book “Food Justice in American Cities” (2023) with photo of an urban garden with large buildings in the background.

Food justice in America

This book explores food insecurity in urban communities through their stories trying to understand food security, justice, sustainability, and waste moving towards a more just and sustainable economy.

Photo of a finished plate of food and an empty mug. Photo by Richard Bell via Unsplash

Journal articles

Global food nutrients analysis reveals alarming gaps and daunting challenges

This paper quantifies the availability of two macronutrients and nine micronutrients for 156 countries in ‘available food’, which they define as the quantity of food produced that is potentially available for consumption after factoring in reductions arising from food loss and waste, and non-food use through the production chain. Nutrient availability is assessed against a range of dietary guidelines to determine the depth and breadth of nutrient deficiencies across regions and countries, and a series of intervention strategies are explored.