Eating habits and foods - Objective Domain 10

Food is of crucial importance to health. In a global perspective, malnutrition is still a gigantic public health problem. In increasing numbers of countries, including Sweden, obesity is becoming the dominant problem. Almost 10 per cent of the adult population is extremely overweight. The proportion of overweight children and young people is quickly increasing.

Obesity follows a clear social pattern, in which people in socially disadvantaged positions are most affected. Obesity is followed by a series of health problems with significant excess risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, diseases of the joints and some forms of cancer, including colon cancer. An important cause of obesity is a poorly composed diet with too much energy content. The consumption of sugar and fat, particularly saturated fat, is too high, while the intake of fruit and vegetables should increase.

Intensive marketing of sugary and fatty foods, often in the form of ready-to-cook and fast food, contributes to the unfavourable situation. The European Union’s common agricultural policy means to a high degree that unhealthy products are subsidised, such as fat milk products, while fruit and vegetables are disadvantaged.

In the public health bill, the Government emphasizes the urgency of formulating a target for societal efforts with regard to eating habits. The goal of food policy is ecologically, economically and socially sustainable food production. A public health perspective of this policy is important. It is also important to increase the public’s knowledge of the connections between diet and health.