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November 8, 2024 – 11:46
Rome, Nov 8 (EFE).- Unhealthy diets have “hidden costs” estimated at 8.1 billion dollars annually and almost half are related to the lack of consumption of nuts, seeds and fruits, warned this Friday the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
According to the report “The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA)” in 2024, published today, in total the global hidden costs of agri-food systems are 11.6 trillion dollars, of which 70% (8, 1 billion) are related to the habit of consuming ultra-processed foods, sugars and diets high in sodium.
These unhealthy eating habits are associated with non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes and cause hidden costs of $8.1 trillion, far exceeding the costs related to environmental degradation and social inequalities. , explains the FAO.
The document delves into the hidden costs in agri-food systems, already exposed in 2023 by the FAO, which for the first time dedicates two consecutive editions of SOFA to the same topic, emphasizing the need and urgency to address these “invisible” impacts.
The UN Food Agency recalls that this is a downward approximation, and that “at least” they amount to 11.6 billion dollars, and insists that “trying to put a price on something invisible is very complicated” so the hidden costs can be even higher.
The findings of this edition demonstrate “the urgency of action” in the face of a problem that affects “every corner of the planet.”
“All countries are eating cereals, but not in the ideal way and most are using too much salt,” the director of the FAO Agri-Food Economics Division, David Laborde, explains to EFE.
In most of the agri-food systems studied, changing dietary patterns not only means a decrease in health-related expenses, but also a very effective way to reduce environmental impact, freeing up crop land, capturing greenhouse gases and reducing nitrogen emissions.
The study analyzes the hidden costs in six countries, including Brazil and Colombia, where the consumption of plant products must be increased and the excessive consumption of processed foods with additives and preservatives reduced.
In the case of Brazil, the FAO considers that changing the diet is the most effective action to reduce hidden costs, while in Colombia it is also necessary to improve agri-food systems so that they are more efficient in meeting the objectives.
It is necessary to increase productivity to reduce the land used for cultivation, since they consider it the “best way to protect the territory,” says Laborde about Colombia.
In Argentina, explains the expert, one of the main concerns is the excessive consumption of red meat, especially when it comes to processed products that are “particularly problematic” due to the high level of sodium they contain.
The study concludes with the need for more ambitious national commitments to achieve reductions in the hidden costs of agri-food systems and avoid putting pressure on farmers.
“Good governments, both public and private,” are needed because to resolve these hidden costs “we might have to pay real costs,” warns Laborde. EFE
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