New figures from the World Health Organization show that almost six in ten adults (59%) and one in three children (29% of boys and 27% of girls) in Europe are overweight or obese.
João Breda, program director for nutrition, physical activity and obesity at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, stated in 2018 that “there is no longer a Mediterranean diet. ... The Mediterranean diet is gone and we have to recover it."
Breda's observations come from the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative, a 10-year research program that monitors the height, weight and eating habits of tens of thousands of children in more than 30 European countries. The largest study of its kind, COSI documents long-term changes in child nutrition and childhood obesity.
In southern Europe, these dietary changes were generally for the worse. While we're famous for our "Mediterranean diet" – praised for being healthy and rich in leafy greens, fruit, whole grains, olive oil, nuts and legumes and some lean protein – many Greeks, Spaniards and Italians have developed a tendency for processed foods, soft drinks and sweets.
Greece is one of the countries with the biggest problem, as the rates of overweight and obesity in both sexes, both among adults and minors, are above the European average. Greece appears (based on 2016 data) to have an overweight rate of 62.3% (men 68.2% – women 56.2%), above the European average of 58.7% (men 62.9% – women 54.3%). Regarding childhood obesity (in both sexes at ages up to five years), in Greece the rate was estimated for 2020 at 13.9%, almost double the European average (7.9%). Our country appears to have one of the highest rates of childhood obesity after Ukraine (17%) and Albania (14.6%).
In a way, this is not surprising. Most experts agree that the traditional Mediterranean diet will not make a comeback. This diet was first documented in the post-World War II era, when most families could not afford soda, red meat, or dairy products.
With higher incomes, more food choices and more time constraints, Europeans need new ways to eat healthily.
Modern strategies in nutrition research do not focus only on the role of individual nutrients or foods, but also aim to measure the relationship between complete nutrition and health. Over the past 20 years, the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean dietary pattern on a range of health outcomes have been investigated and demonstrated.
Globalization and urbanization have been held, at least in part, to be responsible for the phenomenon of the dietary transition. This process, which is generally referred to as the "westernization" of diet, is particularly evident in the younger generations. The modernization of society entails a series of unhealthy lifestyle habits, not only limited to the modification of food preferences towards "junk" foods, but also in relation to sedentary activities (computer and television use), leading to an overall imbalance between energy intake and expenditure.
In 2020, the European Union presented its "farm to fork" strategy, which is one of the key actions under the European Green Deal. Contributing to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the strategy aims to steer the current EU food system towards a sustainable model.
Recalling that food safety and security are a priority, the main objectives of the strategy are as follows:
- ensuring sufficient, affordable and nutritious food within the limits of the planet
- halving the use of pesticides and fertilizers, as well as sales of antimicrobials
- increasing the land available for organic farming
- promoting more sustainable food consumption and healthy eating
- reducing food loss and waste
- fight fraud in the food supply chain
- improving the living conditions of animals
The strategy foresees a number of initiatives and legislative proposals, inter alia, on the following:
- biological Georgia
- front-of-pack nutrition labeling and sustainable food labeling
- reducing food waste
The transition to a more environmentally friendly food system will create new business opportunities that will have a positive impact on the revenues of agri-food businesses.
A more sustainable food system will also help protect Europe's nature and biodiversity.
Modernizing agriculture by developing more sustainable farming practices, combined with nature protection and the fight against climate change, are among the main objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform. The objectives of the CAP are therefore closely intertwined with the 'farm to fork' strategy.
On the occasion of the event of the Office of the European Parliament in Greece, Dimitris Sofologis, President of the Panhellenic Federation of Farmers' Associations and Dimitris Voloudakis, Capacity Building Director "Nea Georgia Nea Genia" spoke about agricultural policy, food and youth nutrition.
In a question of The Common Sense; which states that “about a third of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food systems, according to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The modern nutritional model also has negative effects on the health of citizens, given that more than 50% of adults in Europe are overweight, how can this be changed through agriculture?" Mr. Dimitris Voloudakis he emphasized that "this changes mainly by trying to promote a new pattern of nutrition and I don't mean only in the phase of consumption on the plate, but from the phase when a seed will go into the earth and an animal into a pen for breeding. This whole process should always be given an identity connected to sustainable development until the end. Not only in economic terms, but also in environmental terms."
Explaining, he noted that "when we say climate change mitigation for a food, we essentially mean that during its production, less carbon dioxide emissions should be produced, this also means less energy consumption, less oil consumption, therefore mineral resources. This in itself gives a different dimension if it is highlighted in the food itself. As far as the nutritional part is concerned, the world will continue to have a need for safe food, especially young people. In addition to adequacy, they want food to be safe and beneficial to their health. I think this is also the change we will see in the coming years" added Mr. Voloudakis.
"Organic food, as we know, is quite a bit more expensive than processed food. How will sufficient, affordable and nutritious food be ensured? And what role will Thessaly play in this?" I asked both Mr. Sofologi and Mr. Voloudakis.
Mr. Sofologis spoke about the role of organic agriculture, pointing out that "a large amount of the new CAP will be allocated to organic agriculture in accordance with the strategic plan proposed by our country. But not organic farming on paper, organic farming in actual produced product. This product will have a significant boost and should be taken advantage of especially by people with smaller lots who should have it as an alternative card to organic farming. Organic farming is not a simple matter, especially now with climate change."
In addition, the Capacity Building Director of "Nea Georgia Nea Genia" Dimitris Voloudakis referred to the support that the European Union will give to those who choose the production of organic products and he also underlined the need for special markets without intermediaries in order to lower the cost of the organic product. In particular, he pointed out that "this is a big challenge, because when there is an economic crisis, a significant part of consumers is definitely under pressure and obviously resort to more economical options. So here, first of all, conventional foods must be ensured in terms of safety. So we have to know that when it is traded on the market for consumption and it is conventional it should meet these conditions and from then on organic products are a synthesis of policies. There are some consumers who can afford to buy organic food, but in order to be able to offer organic food in reasonable portions, they need to consider some other solutions and options. I didn't know if it will be a matter of government intervention, maybe, or it will be a matter of creating special markets where the consumer has access with fewer intermediaries, so the cost will also be reduced."
"Now producers who choose to produce organic food will get more subsidies. Because in order to produce an organic food, it also has higher production costs. So the European Union gives more subsidies to the producer of organic products so that he can hold down the prices in the end and not pass all the increase in costs to the final product" Mr. Voloudakis explained in addition.
The Nutri-Score is a nutrition label on the front of the pack, which shows the total nutritional value of food and drinks in colour. It is based on a scale of 5 colors and letters (A is green to represent the best nutritional quality while E is dark orange to indicate it is of the lowest nutritional quality). In many countries of the European Union, various models have been adopted to shop for healthy food, with the aim of better nutrition, but it has also caused many reactions, especially in the Mediterranean countries, where it is blamed for the high content of fat, salt and sugar, because of caloric value, not taking into account other critical features such as vitamins and trace elements. Thus, it grossly unfairly treats the products of the Mediterranean diet, endangers the agro-food sectors and the sustainability of traditional food models. While at the same time nutritionists report that in order to change the diet of young people and especially children, it must go towards the Mediterranean model.
In this context, Mr. Voloudakis commented that "a brake has been put on Nutri-Score because several Mediterranean countries have realized it and therefore it is obvious that you are creating a distortion in the image given to the consumer. The classic examples of a zero soft drink being in green representing the best nutritional quality and olive oil being in red. I think it will ultimately not be adopted as there are very serious obstacles. Here arises a great opportunity for Mediterranean products to highlight the value they have as beneficial consumption for the human health of people."
Finally, in addition to feeding young people, Europe is also targeting green agriculture. The President of the Panhellenic Federation of Farmers' Associations, Mr. Sophologia.
"This is a very big issue, it is not easy because the ecological schemes as they are at the moment are not fully applicable. We have cases of exploitation in our country with people with small and large lots. In Thessaly we have people with trees, who have agricultural crops so it is not easy. What a farmer must know for sure is what is true. At the moment we have nine ecological schemes of which not all are applicable, three or four. So this acquis that had an amount of aid that was called before greening and has been renamed into an ecological scheme does not know it. The Greek farmer is an entrepreneur. Regardless of the outcome he should have known first. We have to go to an increase in production rather at a time when things have changed now, the issue of food security has been raised, the war has brought this issue to the fore and all the available tools, the regulations, the governing ministerial decisions must definitely be ascertained the strategic plan. The answer to your question is that it is not easy for the Greek farmer to adapt. It must take advantage of the green deal, environmental protection to produce a quality product with environmental protection in mind and be critical and have it as a bargaining chip for production," he concluded.
*Cover photo: Anya Teixeira (1913-1992) Candy Floss Girls