Food is a major cause of ill health and disease –

Today's food consumption is not sustainable for health, environment and climate. Our eating habits increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and various forms of cancer.

On behalf of the government, the Public Health Agency and the Swedish Food Agency propose national targets and action areas to support public health and sustainability work in authorities, regions, municipalities and companies.

“Food is fundamental to our physical, mental and social well-being. At the same time, food consumption today is one of the biggest causes of ill health and disease in Sweden. “A large part of the population consumes too little whole grains, vegetables and legumes, and consumes too much salt, processed meats, meats and foods containing “It contains a lot of sugar and fat but little nutrition,” says the Public Health Agency and the Swedish Food Agency in 2019. Press release continues.

“Food consumption today leads to an increased risk of many diseases and therefore impacts society. The annual societal cost of obesity alone is estimated at SEK 125 billion in 2023. Food consumption also looks different across populations, leading to differences in associated ill health.” Food consumption among community groups. Current food consumption is also not sustainable for the environment and climate, and food consumption accounts for approximately one-fifth of the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from Swedish consumption.

Nearly 14,000 deaths a year can be linked to what we eat, which amounts to 15 percent of all deaths in Sweden. From a societal and individual perspective, there are significant gains through healthier and more sustainable food consumption. Healthy eating often goes hand in hand with what is sustainable for the environment and climate, says Public Health Agency Director-General Karin Tegmark Wiesel.

In order to achieve the goals, food consumption needs to change. The Public Health Agency and the Swedish Food Agency have listed six sub-goals with the most important population-level changes that must take place by 2035:

• Consumption of legumes, vegetables, roots, fruits and berries will rise by 50 percent by 2035 compared to 2021.
• Whole grain consumption will increase by 100 percent in 2035 compared to 2010.
• Consumption of fish and shellfish will increase by 20 percent by 2035 compared to 2019.
• Consumption of energy-dense and/or nutrient-poor foods will decrease by 50 percent by 2035 compared to 2021.
• Meat consumption will decrease by 30 percent by 2035 compared to 2021.
• Salt consumption will decrease by 20 percent by 2035 compared to 2018.

-We see that it is possible to change food consumption. I hope that our proposals with clear national goals and sub-goals can bring together actors and serve as a guide for those working on public health and sustainability issues in municipalities, regions and companies. Therefore, we suggest adopting the goals and following them continuously for better public health in the future, says Director General of the Swedish Food Agency Annika Sohlström.