In November 2021, IDF Europe supported the Whole Grain Initiative and co-signed an open letter calling on the European Commission to ensure that whole grains are included into Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL) to be proposed as part of the Farm to Fork Strategy. The stakeholders consider that integrating whole grains into FOPNL system is line with the EU’s policy objectives of improving the nutritional quality of consumers’ food choices and encouraging food business operators to reformulate products towards healthier options.
For people living with Type 2 diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), FOPNL is an important policy tool to support healthy dietary choices and therefore, prevent and reduce premature mortality from NCDs. There is consistent evidence that regular consumption of whole grains (around three servings per day) is associated with a lower risk of developing NCDs such as Type 2 diabetes.
Ensuring EU citizens are empowered to make, and are economically and physically able to access, healthy choices requires the EU and national governments to develop measures fostering health-enabling environments and addressing the social and economic determinants of health. We hope that the future FOPNL indeed empowers people, including those at risk or living with Type 2 diabetes and other NCDs, to easily identify healthier food choices and make informed decisions on nutritional characteristics of food products. This is key to addressing the immense burden of NCDs in Europe and beyond.
To download the full letter, please, click here.
