Bringing Agriculture
to the Table
How Agriculture and Food Can Play a Role
in Preventing Chronic Disease
Rachel Nugent, PhD, Chair
Prepared for the United Nations
High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable
Disease Prevention and Control
0
Bringing Agriculture
to the Table
September
19, 2011
• September 19, 2011
NCDs kill people at a younger age in
developing countries
The highest increases in NCDs are expected in Africa, South-East Asia, and the Southern
Mediterranean—an over 20 percent increase expected by 2020.
Age-standardized deaths per 100,000 from
cardiovascular disease
Age-standardized deaths per 100,000
from cardiovascular disease and diabetes
Male Female
Source: WHO, 2008
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Bringing Agriculture to the Table • September 19, 2011
Source: WHO, 2010
The economic burden of NCDs will overwhelm
health systems and slow economic growth
NCD
COSTS
Health spending on
diabetes ranges from
6% of all health costs in
China to 15% in Mexico
Source: P. Zhang, et al, 2010
2
Each 10% increase in
NCD burden is associated
with a 0.5% reduction
in annual economic
growth
23 high burden
countries are projected
to lose $84 billion in
GDP between 20052015 from 3 NCDs
Source: WHO
Source: Abegunde, et al, 2007
Bringing Agriculture to the Table • September 19, 2011
NCDs will cost more
than $47 trillion globally
between now and 2030
Source: D. Bloom, 2011
Poor nutrition contributes to poor health
●
●
Dietary contributors to NCDs:
• Insufficient intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains
• Excess intake of salt, saturated fat, and trans-fatty acids
Lead to:
• High blood pressure, high cholesterol
Roughly half of all
deaths from stroke
and heart disease are
attributed to high
blood pressure
Source: WHO
3
Bringing Agriculture to the Table • September 19, 2011
Poor nutrition contributes to poor health
●
●
Dietary contributors to NCDs:
• Insufficient intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains
• Excess intake of salt, saturated fat, and trans-fatty acids
Lead to:
About 44% of
• High blood pressure, high cholesterol
all diabetes cases,
• Overweight and obesity
23% of heart diseases,
and 7 to 14% of
cancers are related to
overweight and
obesity
Source: WHO
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Bringing Agriculture to the Table • September 19, 2011
Avenues of Change:
Governance
Financing
Policy
Research and Education
Technology
Personal Behavior
Bringing Agriculture
to the Table
September
19, 2011
• September 19, 2011
Tools for agriculture to improve health
Agriculture and Food
Value Chain Approaches
Mutual Metrics
A value chain reveals social,
environmental and health benefits in
the production process.
Mutual metrics are results indicators
shared between agriculture and health.
EXAMPLES:
• New product formulation and cold
chain innovations to reach people at
the bottom of the pyramid
• Build capacity into local food chains to
raise quality and lower price
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Bringing Agriculture to the Table • September 19, 2011
EXAMPLES:
• Volume of fresh fruits and vegetables
timely delivered to consumer markets
• Substitution of healthier oils for palm oil
in processed foods
Agriculture can improve health by…
Partnering for New
Programs and Policies
EXAMPLES:
EXAMPLES:
• Limit marketing to children and reduce
sodium and fat content in products. Report
progress to the public and WHO
• Voluntary or mandatory reductions
in salt and trans fat content of foods
• Partner with companies in the developing
world to help small food processors
produce safe, nutritious, affordable food
products
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Creating New Policy for
a Healthy Food Supply
Bringing Agriculture to the Table • September 19, 2011
• Limitations on sales and marketing
of high-sugar products to children
• Calorie information on restaurant menus
Key recommendations at a glance
Consumers International
organizations
and
their
representatives
National
Agri
– food
businesses
governments
Donors
Bringing Agriculture to the Table • September 19, 2011
Key recommendations at a glance
Consumers International
and
their
representatives
organizations
National
Agri
– food
businesses
governments
Agri-food Businesses: Work with
researchers in developing countries to
characterize the local food supply and diet
Donors
Bringing Agriculture to the Table • September 19, 2011
Key recommendations at a glance
Consumers International
and
their
representatives
organizations
National
Agri-food Businesses: Build a shared value
ethos into media and government relations
Agri
– food
businesses
governments
Donors
Bringing Agriculture to the Table • September 19, 2011
thechicagocouncil.org/HealthyAgandNCD
Bringing Agriculture
to the Table
September
19, 2011
• September 19, 2011