A new report by the World Economic Forum and Accenture shows that while people around the world are living longer, healthy life expectancy has declined.
Eating habits are the biggest influence on human health. Changing eating habits is the key to a healthy and sustainable food system.
Four measures can help people make healthier food choices and thus improve their health.
In 2024, global average life expectancy reached 73 years, up from 46 years in 1950.
A new insight report by the World Economic Forum and Accenture shows that while life expectancy is getting longer around the world, many people’s healthy life expectancy is declining because of poor nutrition.
The global food system needs to change. Four key measures can help people eat healthily to close the gap between healthy life expectancy and life expectancy.
We need to take critical actions to improve the global food system to promote healthy human lives. Image: World Economic Forum
Change your food priorities
Global food demand is changing. After World War II, the global food system mainly provided low-cost, high-calorie foods to meet the needs of a growing population.
But these days, obesity is worse than starvation. According to the report Reforming Global Food Systems for Human Health and Resilience, obesity-related diseases are killing more people in the West. Obesity rates have nearly quadrupled since 1980, and the incidence of noncommunicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes has more than doubled.
The report notes that the current food system also poses a threat to the Earth’s environment. About one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, and agricultural practices today can negatively impact soil fertility and productivity.
The cost of malnutrition and its effects is close to $20 trillion, more than twice the direct cost of global food consumption.
The current food system severely damages the environment, the economy and human health. Image: World Economic Forum
Building a better global food system
The report concludes that the global food system is no longer meeting health or sustainability needs and immediate change is needed.
Otherwise, “the global community will face death, disease, ecosystem destruction and the long-term effects of climate change that could have been prevented.”
The report makes four recommendations to encourage consumers to buy and eat healthier foods.
1. Restructure retail layout
Food distributors and producers are working with retailers to redesign store layouts and product offerings to prioritize sustainable and healthy foods. Research on consumer behavior has shown that placing nutritious foods in high-traffic areas can influence consumer buying habits.
A recent study by the University of Southampton found that if non-food items were placed near tills and at the end of aisles, and fruit and vegetables were placed at the entrance, each store could sell 10,000 more fruit and vegetables a week. In contrast, sales of unhealthy food will decrease by 1,500 servings.
Providing a greater variety of fruits and vegetables also brings multiple benefits, such as achieving economies of scale, reducing wastage, increasing crop diversity, and providing more sustainable and nutritious products.
Retailers are increasingly using technology to improve the shopping experience in physical stores. Grocery stores in the United States, for example, have introduced digital nutrition software and in-store dietitians to teach customers food preparation and storage techniques to encourage healthier food choices, increase visits and foster store loyalty.
2. Subsidize healthy food
Governments can offer subsidies to farmers who grow a variety of healthy crops, and encourage people to choose healthier foods to save money.
Like alcohol and tobacco, governments can also tax companies that produce unhealthy products, making them pay for the health problems caused by the products.
In 2014, the Navajo Nation introduced a 2% tax on unhealthy food and used the money to fund community health programs.
3. Regulate food labeling
Clear labels can show consumers key information about products, such as sugar, fat and salt content, which is essential to help consumers make healthier food choices. The report also calls for more stringent definitions of “natural” and “low-fat” products, as well as for labeling products as sustainable.
Digital technologies such as blockchain, QR codes and mobile phone software can provide more information and even help trace food ingredients.
4. Make healthy foods the default
Small retailers such as restaurants, convenience stores or gas stations can have a big impact on consumer choices. If we make healthy sustainable menus seem as attractive and marketable as unhealthy food menus, we can shift consumers’ choices from unhealthy to healthy.
The report’s authors asked, “Starbucks’ Unicorn latte and Taco Bell’s Doritos tortillas were once huge hits and Internet sensations. Why don’t we come up with health products that are equally appealing?”
We need to massively increase the supply of nutritious food and make it more accessible. Image: World Economic Forum
Working together to transform the global food system
These recommendations can lead to a more sustainable and healthier food system. The report notes that public-private partnerships are critical to improving global nutrition, with innovative product portfolios and measured, cutting-edge business models as key enablers.
“To achieve this, we need to mobilize stakeholders from all sectors, including governments, investors, consumer goods, healthcare, education and more, to make nutrition a major global priority.”
The World Economic Forum, in partnership with Accenture, has launched the New Frontiers in Nutrition initiative. The initiative brings together multiple stakeholders to improve global nutrition, maintain healthy diets, and promote human health.
To ensure a shift towards healthy and sustainable eating habits, this project is being carried out with the support of the Centre for Health and Healthcare in conjunction with the Forum’s Food Systems Initiative.