Policy, trade, economic, and technological aspects of improving nutrient intake and lifestyles in the European Union

• Published in: Public health nutrition 2001-04, Vol.4 (2a), p.325-336
• Main Authors: Hautvast, Jo, Elmadfa, Ibrahim, Rayner, Mike
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural policy; Breast Feeding; Breast milk; Common Agricultural Policy; Consumer protection; Consumers; Descriptive labeling; Diet; Dietary supplements; European Union; Exercise; Female; Food; Food Analysis; Food Labeling; Food law; food regulation; Fruit; Health Policy; Health risks; Humans; Legislation; Life Style; Lifestyles; Male; Marketing; Maternity & paternity leaves; Novel foods; Nutrient content; Nutrition; Nutrition Policy; Nutrition research; Nutritional Sciences - education; Policy Making; Public Health; Public Health Policy; Trends; Vegetables; Vitamins; Working Party 4: Final report
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980001001574

Summary of recommendations 1. A new Nutrition Committee for the European Union 1.1 A new Nutrition Committee for the European Union, should be created to give independent scientific and policy advice on nutrition, diets and physical activity to the Commission. This should be supported by a strengthened Nutritional Unit within the Commission. 2. Policy development 2.1 There needs to be a comprehensive and coherent nutritional policy for the EU 2.2 The development of European dietary goals should continue after the completion of the Eurodiet Project. 2.3 The European Commission should revise its Recommended Daily Allowances for vitamins and minerals using a systematic, evidence-based approach. Recommended Daily Allowances should be set at a level which would prevent deficiencies and lower the risk of disease. 2.4 The European Commission should produce, preferably every four years, a report on the state of nutrition, diet and physical activity in the EU. This report should contain proposals for action 3. Components of a nutrition policy 3.1 The European Commission should not be involved in the direct delivery of lifestyle advice to the public. 3.2 The European Commission should continue to support networks whose members are involved in educating the public and in training professionals about nutrition, diets and physical activity.Research 3.3 European Community funding of health-related research should better reflect the Community's public health priorities. 3.4 The European Community should ear-mark funds for large, multi-centre studies into nutrition, diet and physical activity with a duration of up to 10 years. Consumer protection 3.5 The European Commission should draw up proposals for the regulation of health claims. 3.6 The European Community should agree rules for the use of nutrition claims along the lines agreed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. 3.7 The European Commission should review the 1990 Nutrition Labelling Directive particularly with a view to making nutrition labelling more comprehensible and it should encourage the development of other ways of providing consumers with information about the nutrient content of foods though, for example, the Internet. 3.8 The European Commission should review the Novel Food Regulations, particularly with a view to ensuring that the nutritional consequences of consuming novel foods are better assessed and to making approval procedures more efficient. 3.9 European Community rules on food fortification and