Food and nutrition policy and action plan for Malta : 2015 - 2020

Abstract

The Maltese Government and in particular the Parliamentary Secretariat for Health, is committed to continuously improving the health and wellbeing of the Maltese population The global burden from unhealthy diets is a major issue that is reflected in high morbidity and mortality. The effects of unhealthy diets range from chronic under nutrition to overweight and obesity. Policies to tackle this disease burden have been developed globally and at the European level, including the Vienna Declaration on Nutrition and Noncommunicable Diseass in the context of Health 2020 (2013), the European Charter on Counteracting Obesity (2006), the Action Plan for the Implementation of the European Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Disease 2012 - 2016, the Health 2020 framework (2012) and the EU Action Plan on Childhood Obesity 2014-2020. The World Health Organisation has developed an updated European Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2015-2020 which proposes a number of measures developed through a consultative process within the WHO European Region. [excerpt from the Foreword by Hon Mr Christopher Fearne]