The 1992 International Conference on Nutrition highlighted the need to prevent and control the increasing chronic diseases by promoting appropriate diets through a better programme of public health.

The WHO Global Strategy on Diet develops recommended guidelines dietary requirements for populations. While aimed to guide member states improving nutrition policies, individuals, companies and other organisations can use these as a guide.

They make recommendations for population nutrient intake goals. These represent the population average intake to maintain the health health in a population, marked by a low prevalence of diet-related diseases. They make specific recommendations to reduce the incidence of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, dental caries, and osteoporosis.

The UK, there is a Scientific Committe on Nutrition which advises both the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health. The key nutrient recommendations are based on the previous government committee (COMA) Nutritional Aspects of Cardiovascular Disease (1994) Nutritional Aspects of the Development of cancer (1998):

The Saturated fat- reduce to no more than 10% energy
Total fat­ reduce to no more than 35% energy(WHO recommendation 30%)
N-3 PUFAs- increase to 0.2 g/day (1.5g/week)
Complex carbohydrate- increase to approximately 50% energy
Sugars (added)- no more than 10% energy per day
Dietary fibre- increase in non-starch polysaccharides to 18g per day
Sodium (salt)- reduce to no more than 6g salt per day (WHO recommendation 5g)
No rise in dietary cholesterol 245mg
Maintain a healthy body weight(BMI 20-25 kg/m2)
Increase fruit and vegetable consumption by 50% to at least 5 portions per day
Increase intakes of dietary fibre from a variety of sources
Adults who eat more than the average amount of redand processed meat should consider a reduction

The UK Dept of Health called for manufacturers and food processors to reduce the quantity of salt in their food. Click for Responses.

Nutrition labelling means any information on labelling relating to energy value (calories) and protein, carbohydrates, fat, fibre or sodium. Vitamin and mineral claims are laid down in the EU Directive No 90.496/EEC and the Food Labelling Regulations 1996. Nutrition labelling is not compulsory. However, if food manufacturers decide to label food with nutritional information, or make nutrition claims, it then becomes compulsory to use the prescribed format.

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