Endorsement

The WHO Regional Committee endorsed the Action Plan in 2000.

Guide to food and nutrition policies

The Action Plan guides WHO Member States in developing intersectoral food and nutrition policies to reduce the burden of food-related ill health. On the basis of current scientific evidence, national strategies can be formed that reduce levels of noncommunicable disease, protect the health of adults and children and develop the systems needed to deal with food and nutrition issues. The new dynamic global food system will create many new challenges for ministries of health and others interested in protecting public health.

Training, publications and tools
WHO assists Member States in developing national food and nutrition action plans through training workshops, publications and other scientific tools.

Meeting of nutrition counterparts
Nutrition counterparts in the WHO European Region met in Athens, 28 February - 2 March 2003, to discuss progress towards developing national food and nutrition action plans.  Member States unanimously supported the need for a second food and nutrition action plan 2006-2010. The Greek Ministry of Health hosted the event and took the opportunity of their EU presidency to organize a meeting on Nutrition in the European Union, in view of the EU enlargement.  Discussions also took place regarding input from the European Region to the Global strategy for diet, physical activity and health.