Meeting the challenges of a new era for achieving a healthy diet and nutrition in Finland
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Finland's approach to improving diet and nutrition focuses on community actions, long-term structural measures, and inter-sectoral cooperation. Key initiatives include dietary guidelines, support for breastfeeding, free school meals, and education on nutrition integrated into the school system. The government emphasizes sustainability and aims to promote plant-based diets while maintaining policies to ensure food security and accessibility.
Meeting the challenges of a new era for achieving a healthy diet and nutrition in Finland
- 1. Meeting the challenges of a new era for achieving healthy diet and nutrition in Finland Sirpa Sarlio-Lähteenkorva Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland
- 2. Some general approaches/ principles Community and population-based action rather than risk group approaches Mostly long/term structural measures, very little projects or campaigns Inter-sectoral co-operation important, horizontal committees, Health in all Policies
- 3. Some examples of long term on-going activities Fortification since 1940’s (iodine, selenium, vitamin D) Monitoring on dietary intake since 1982 with FinnDiet survey every 5 years, including health status Cooking skills, nutrition and health education are part of educational system, mandatory to all (but very popular!) Support for breastfeeding, healthy food habits, weight management at maternity and child health clinics to all families free of charge “Better choice” heart symbol indicates foods and meals with less salt, less saturated and transfats, less sugar and more fibre EU school milk subsidies are given only to low fat, low salt products
- 4. 2014 Dietary guidelines including sustainability, programme for climate friendly agriculture 2015 Government programme with healthy lifestyle and sustainability, development program with food insecurity 2016 Dietary guidelines for families and for students, implementation of best practices in nutrition, consumer info on unpacked foods 2017 Guidelines for meals at school and preschool, tools to promote reformulation Some milestones since ICN2
- 5. Improving sustainability of Finnish food system, integrating different policies Addressing whole food system Changes towards more plant-based diet – reducing meat consumption – implementing nutrition recommendations – communication of sustainable choices – traceability and responsibility systems, local foods, less food loss
- 6. a Food services • Free school meals since 1948: improving health, school attendance, learning and supporting families • Subsidised meals for students and at work places • Quality criteria for procurement of meals (nutrition ==> sustainability) • New dietary quidelines coming in 2017 for schools and kindergarden, includes also food education
- 7. Health, well-being and sustainability are part of governments strategic programme - Restructuring health care system - Implementation of best practices to improve lifestyles and mental health during 2017-2018: tools to health care professionals and others to support families, patiens & communities 2.3.2015 Taru Koivisto
- 8. Improving nutrition globally • 50 videos of healthy choices utilizing local foods to improve complementary feeding and family diets • Targeted at mothers, also illiterate audiences • Effectiveness tested in Kenya, produced by University of Helsinki, available in multiple languages www.glocalnutrition.com Priorities of our new development policy emphasize rights of women and girls and include food security, better access to water and sustainability
- 9. Gradually setting tighter limits for ”highly salted” warning labels and expanding the system to certain unpacked foods 13.12.16 New, includes natural Na and also unpacked foods (13.12.16 ) Current since 2009 (added Na, prepacked only) 1992-2009 (added Na, prepacked only) Before 1992 (added Na, prepacked only) Bread 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,7 Cheese 1,3 1,3 1,4 No limit Sausages 2,0 1,7 1,8 2,2 Tools for better diet: easily accessabile information for consumers
- 10. 22 March 2016 Finland has a long tradition of sustainable development policies: 1990 2017 we plan to have a tool for nutrition commitments for stakeholders as part of sustainability committments Annika Lindblom, FNCSD