8.A. Round table: An exploration of the EAT Lancet Commission on healthy diets for sustainable food systems
Authors:   Organised by: EUPHA-GH, EUPHA-HIA, EUPHA-LAW, EUPHA-FN,   Chair persons: Regien Biesma (Netherlands), Giuseppe Grosso (EUPHA-FN)
Published: October 2023

Sustainable food systems are those that are healthy, sustainable, and equitable, while also addressing environmental challenges. The 2019 EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets for Sustainable Food Systems provides comprehensive recommendations for transforming the global food system to address malnutrition, reduce the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, environmental degradation and climate change. However, the implementation of the EAT-Lancet recommendations has been slow and uneven across different regions and sectors. Holistic approaches to achieve food system sustainability are needed, emphasising the interconnectedness of different systems and the need for multidisciplinary approaches. One Health, Health Impact Assessment (HIA), and mandatory food fortification are all approaches that can contribute to the implementation of EAT-Lancet recommendations. The One Health approach recognizes that human health, animal health, and environmental sustainability are interconnected and that collaboration across sectors is necessary to address complex health challenges. By considering the health of animals and the environment in addition to human health, the One Health approach can inform the development of sustainable food systems that promote health for all. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a structured process that evaluates the potential health impacts of policies, programs, and projects. HIAs can be used to identify and address potential health risks associated with food systems and help to promote policies and interventions that support healthy and sustainable food systems. Mandatory food fortification is a strategy that involves adding essential vitamins and minerals to food products to address nutrient deficiencies. Mandatory fortification can be used to ensure that essential nutrients are present in the food supply, which can have significant impacts on public health, when consumed passively. The objective of this round table session is to show how multisectoral approaches can be used to achieve better human and planetary health and promote more sustainable and healthy food systems. This session will bring together experts from different disciplines to explore how holistic approaches can promote healthy and sustainable food systems. There will be three short presentations followed by a round table discussion in which the audience is invited to interact with the discussants. First, the One Health approach of AMR will be discussed outlining the need for a binding international legal framework. Second, a presentation on Health Impact Assessment, planning and public health in relation to the food environment in the UK will be conducted. Finally, the case for a mandatory approach of folic acid supplementation in Ireland with strict regulation, monitoring and oversight with penalties for non-compliance by the food industry is presented. Panellists will share lessons learnt from the Netherlands, the UK, Ireland and Bulgaria and the case for EU-wide approaches will be made.

Key messages

• Holistic approaches to achieve food system sustainability are needed, emphasising the interconnectedness of different systems and the need for multidisciplinary approaches from local to transnational.

• There is a clear role for binding international legal frameworks to tackle challenges related to the food system, such as AMR, fast food outlet density and folic acid fortification.

Speakers/Panelists

Thom Geertsema

Groningen Center Health Law, Faculty of Law, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands

Ben Cave

Ben Cave Associates Ltd, Leeds, UK

Mary Rose Sweeney

Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland

Desislava Vankova

Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria

Nikhil Gokani

University of Essex, Colchester, UK