Food-based Dietary Guidelines: A Powerful Tool To Deliver The Sustainable Development Goals

Food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) are country-level policies aimed at addressing public health and nutrition-related issues using strategies based on local dietary patterns. The Food and Agricultural Organization and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emphasise the socio-political relevance of these guidelines and their role in guiding healthy dietary patterns from sustainable food systems, a target of Sustainable Development Goal 2. Despite their influence, global analyses of FBDGs reveal that the majority of the countries do not integrate ecological sustainability, nor do they provide adequate nutritional information that can promote healthy and sustainable food choices. Current FBDGs also largely promote high consumption patterns of animal-sourced foods. While animal products represent an important nutrient source in some countries, intensive animal agriculture also contributes to some of the most urgent problems we face in the areas of health, environment, social justice, and animal welfare, as well as to the emergence of zoonotic pandemics. Member countries of the Group of 20 (G20) can become front-runners by providing sustainable dietary recommendations based on the latest scientific evidence. This policy brief has identified five main aspects to be considered in the revision of FBDGs to support the development of sustainable, balanced, and inclusive FBDGs.