FAO welcomes UN’s Decision to establish an International Day of the Mediterranean Diet | FAO News

Rome – The United Nations General Assembly’s decision to make 16 November the annual International Day of the Mediterranean Diet is a welcome initiative to help foster awareness & appreciation of the importance of healthy diets, sustainability & territorial traditions in achieving food security & better nutrition, the core mandate of the Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO).

FAO will have the lead role in supporting efforts to celebrate the International Day, which  was considered by the General Assembly after the approval of the proposal at the 44th session of the FAO Conference earlier this year.

The General Assembly’s resolution was presented by Italy on behalf of a core group of Mediterranean countries that were the main sponsors of the resolution (Armenia, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, San Marino, Spain & Tunisia)  & crafted to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

For FAO, the recognition is an opportunity to emphasize how territorial diets – rooted in history, local economies & long-term climate & environmental resources & limits – can potentially offer benefits for human health & sustainability, as well as opportunities to tackle challenges such as excess food loss & waste & the growing problem of obesity.

Aligned with FAO’s mandate, actions & plans for the International Day of the Mediterranean Diet will celebrate the diversity of healthy dietary patterns globally, rooted in local traditions. The maintenance of such diets is supported by FAO’s work with countries, providing technical assistance, promoting international cooperation & raising awareness about the importance of diversified food production – from plants to livestock & fisheries – to enable access to & consumption of healthy  diets for all.  

FAO has a long-term collaboration with its host country Italy to preserve & protect the Mediterranean diet around its native region.

What it is, why it matters, & threats to its existence

The protective health benefits of the Mediterranean diet have been well-known for decades following the ground-breaking research of Ancel Keys in the 1960s, when he documented its protective effects against coronary heart disease. It is also correlated with lower incidence of diabetes, certain cancers & depression.

More than a decade ago, UNESCO recognized the Mediterranean diet as an intangible cultural heritage, underscoring its cultural, nutritional, & social importance.

While the Mediterranean diet has many regional variations, the core principles are the same: it emphasizes use of fresh fruits & vegetables  prioritizes whole grains, nuts, legumes  &  olive oil; includes moderate consumption of seafood, poultry, dairy, meat & eggs, & limits sweets. 

FAO is developing SABIR, a knowledge hub to gather key resources on the Mediterranean dietary patterns & the benefits of following the principles of such dietary patterns  for nutrition, health & the environment.

Ample evidence shows that this heritage is eroding, due to globalization, urbanization & new consumption patterns & lifestyles. Today, many of the countries in the Mediterranean region are also facing higher-than-average rates of child & adult overweight & obesity.

At the heart of the Mediterranean diet – & many other territorial diets – is a social institution, involving a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols & traditions related to growing & harvesting crops, fishing, animal husbandry, conservation, processing, cooking & in particular the convivial sharing & consumption of food. It is supported by a holistic sociology in which hospitality, intercultural dialogue & ways of life are guided by respect for diversity. The strong role of fresh ingredients requires more frequent & small-scale interactions, both informal & market-based, which bind the institution to shorter supply chains.

Through the creation of the International Day – FAO hopes to raise greater awareness, investment, & action to conserve healthy dietary patterns & the social & production-level traditions that enable & underpin them all.