Key messages Parliamentarians, researchers, and development practitioners shared perspectives on the double burden of malnutrition in Egypt in roundtable discussions. Infrastructure gaps and policy and research strategy fragmentation are highlighted as challenges to accessibility of healthy food. Aggressive ads/media environment and inefficient nutrition education programs are regarded as negatively impacting consumer behavior. Economic factors are widely identified as a major driver of malnutrition. Recommended solutions include raising nutrition literacy, transitioning from food subsidies to vouchers, improving nutrition services infrastructure, taxing unhealthy foods, and fortifying staple foods. Participants called for continued dialogue between researchers and policymakers.
The Links Between Food-Related Trade and Fiscal Policies and Obesity Rates in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Global overweight and obesity rates have almost tripled since 1975 and are expected to continue rising over the next few decades (Shekar & Popkin, 2020). This trend is alarmingly steeper in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared to high-income countries, where the same rates are gradually declining (Ng et al., 2014, Shekar and Popkin, 2020)
NEW PUBLICATION: Food Policies and Obesity in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Understanding the public health implications of food policies is crucial to combat recently increasing overweight and obesity rates in many low-and-middle income countries (LMICs). This study examines the implication of food policies, mainly tariff rates on “unhealthy” foods (sugar and confectionery products as well as fats and oils) and governments’ subsidies, on individuals’ body weight outcomes
IFPRI-FAO REPORT LAUNCH: “Food Policies and their Implications on Overweight and Obesity Trends in Selected Countries in NENA”
Amy William and Lina Abdelfattah, IFPRI Egypt
On December 17th, 2020, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) virtually launched a joint report that examines the implication of food policies, mainly trade and government food subsidies, on evolving nutritional transitions and associated body weight outcomes across selected countries in the NENA region. These countries are projected to [...]
NEW PUBLICATION: Food policies and their implications on overweight and obesity trends in selected countries in the NENA region
By Kibrom A. Abay, Hosam Ibrahim, Clemens Breisinger, and Nomindelger Bayasgalanbat Regional and global trends in body weight show that the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region countries, especially the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries, have the highest average body mass index and highest rates of overweight and obesity in the world. There […]
