Food systems encompass a wide range of activities that impact, both positively and negatively, on different health dimensions and disease risk factors. While nutrition stands out as food’s single most important health impact, other factors co-define the relationship between food and health, including food safety, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), climate change, socio-economic conditions, air quality, zoonotic diseases, and exposure to agrochemicals.
Two years ago, the European Union (EU) “Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system” was introduced. This strategy represents the most coherent and comprehensive attempt yet to respond to the fundamental challenges posed by today’s food systems.
This presentation will set out the main interlinkages between food systems and public health, discuss key ongoing policy developments at the EU level, and will reflect on how the creation of enabling food environments¹ will be critical for advancing healthy, sustainable diets in Europe.