Post by EuroHealthNet

Europe’s food system isn’t broken, it’s working, just not in the public interest. At a policy dialogue held at the European Parliament this week, organised by EuroHealthNet, FEAST, EAT, and the MEP Interest Group on Health Inequalities, Prevention and Risk Factors, participants called for a rethink of how the EU approaches food, health, and agriculture. Why? Because 27% of daily calories now come from ultra-processed foods, while diseases like diabetes and heart disease keep rising, especially among those with the least access to healthy options. As MEP Manuela Ripa, co-chair of the Interest Group put it: “Diabetes and obesity are rising fastest among the most vulnerable, yet we are still treating the symptoms instead of the causes. We cannot keep asking individuals to make harder choices every day while leaving unhealthy environments unchanged.” The experts set out five clear priorities: 🍎 Put healthier, more sustainable diets at the centre of EU food policy and reduce reliance on ultra-processed foods 🍋 Protect policymaking from commercial conflicts of interest 🍊 Align EU funding (including agriculture and urban investment) with health and equity goals 🍈 Make healthy choices easier through procurement, schools, pricing, and planning rules 🍇 Track real-world impact on health and inequalities in how EU money is spent The takeaway is simple - stop putting the burden on people, and start fixing the system, from food environments to EU investment priorities. Let's face it, healthy choices shouldn’t be the hardest choices. Statement to follow and links in the first comment below 👇 European Economic and Social Committee WHO Regional Office for Europe Sciensano EU Food Policy Coalition Dg Taxud European Committee of the Regions JA PreventNCD KU Leuven ICLEI Europe @euscienceadvice 📸 EuroHealthNet #PublicHealth #Food #EUHealth #FoodSystems #HealthEquity #EUPolicy #FoodIndustry #Europe #Policy #FoodEquity