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Health on the table – A consumer advocacy perspective on reducing overweight and obesity in Latin America

Year of publication 2021

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 30 p.

Author FAO and Consumers International

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Booklet

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The health of global consumers has suffered greatly from the growing problem of overweight and obesity. In Latin America and the Caribbean, overweight affects 59.5 percent of adults, more than 20 percentage points above the world average, while almost a quarter of all adults are obese, well above the world average of 13.1 percent. Consumers are among the most preeminent actors of food systems; in Latin America and the Caribbean, organized consumers have been key in promoting policies and regulations that aim to improve food environments. The FAO requested a view from consumer advocates in seven countries in Latin America on healthy eating initiatives, in order to identify promising practices and recommend policy changes. Supported by Consumers International, consumer advocacy organisations developed a consumer-centered framework highlighting the key elements of any healthy eating initiative. The team surveyed over 70 organisations in the seven countries for examples of initiatives that encourage healthy eating. Initiatives were then assessed against the framework to identify elements that could be strengthened, encouraged, or scaled through public policy interventions. This document will serve as a valuable tool for the different sectors, and especially decision-makers, to incorporate the vision of consumers in the transformation of agrifood systems.

Last updated date 22/09/2021, see corrigendum

Cite this content as:

FAO and Consumers International. 2021. Health on the table – A consumer advocacy perspective on reducing overweight and obesity in Latin America. Rome, FAO.

Language English

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