Global Panel at the EAT Forum 2018
In June, the Global Panel attended the EAT Stockholm Food Forum 2018, a two day event where hundreds of representatives from the food industry, academia, non-governmental organisations, governments, agriculture and nutrition sectors came together to explore solutions for achieving healthy and sustainable diets for a growing global population. The busy agenda included a showcase of technologies and innovations that are transforming our food; a discussion around ways to continue feeding the world with zero land expansion and ocean depletion; the challenges to reduce food waste across the food chain; an analysis of plant-based dietary trends, and the rediscovery of crop varieties with great nutritional potential; and an examination of the relationship between dietary habits and food production, trade and advertising.
On day two, Global Panel Member Tom Arnold and Director Sandy Thomas participated in a disruptive dialogue on urban food environments, examining what it would take to make healthy and sustainable societies the default. During this session – attended by (among others) representatives from C40 Food Systems Network, EAT, UNICEF, Sun Business Network, and the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs – Tom Arnold presented the latest findings of a Global Panel brief on urban diets and nutrition, highlighting eight policy recommendations that would help alleviate the growing crisis of urban malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries, where overweight and obesity, undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies co-exist.
On the occasion of the Forum, Food Tank Magazine published an article authored by Tom Arnold, Dr Sania Nishtar, WHO, and Dr Sudhvir Singh, EAT Foundation, which looks into eating habits in urban settings, shedding light on the rising issue of ultra-processed food consumption, and examples to realign trends towards healthier diets.
From July 2018, throughout the summer, EAT will release nine episodes of the podcast: Food Can Fix It. Weekly interviews spotlight the work of political leaders, socially responsible investors, entrepreneurs, nutrition advocates and scientists who are transforming the way we produce, consume and think about food. In one of the episodes, the Global Panel and EAT will explore the nutrition challenges faced in urban environments, and suggest actions to support the promotion of healthy diets for everyone in society.
On 13 June, Director Sandy Thomas attended the initial Food Systems Dialogues, curated by Dr. David Nabarro, and organised by the EAT Foundation, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), and the World Economic Forum (WEF). The dialogues are designed to allow participants to agree on what should be done to fix the food systems, and better position the community to align efforts for a lasting impact.