GENEVA,
May 9, 2003
Gro Harlem
Brundtland, director-general of the U.N. health agency,
described the talks as a “positive beginning.” Senior
figures from companies including Nestle, Unilever, The
Coca-Cola Company, The Kellogg Company, PepsiCo Inc., Cadbury
Schweppes
plc, and McDonald's attended.
“We have seen a major shift away from traditional
diets, and the increased consumption of energy-dense diets
with high
levels of fats and sugars, as well as salt. At the same time, the
consumption of fruit and vegetables is going down,” Brundtland
told the meeting.
“As a result of all these factors, as well as
tobacco use, the global profile of disease is changing.
Cardiovascular disease,
cancers, diabetes, respiratory disease, obesity and other
non-communicable conditions now account for approximately 60 percent of the
56.5 million global deaths annually,” she said.
The former Norwegian prime minister, who is a medical doctor
by training, said WHO wanted to work with rather than against
the food industry. But she said the industry must live
up to its responsibilities.
“We would like food companies in some countries
to promote smaller portions. We would like to see real
moves to cut the amount
of fat, sugars and salt in foods. We think consumers have
a basic right to know what they are eating and the effects it
can have on them. That means clear, informative, accurate
and scientifically proven labeling of food products' benefits or
potential harmful effects.”
“And we want food companies to reassess what
they are marketing to young children, and how they are
going about it.”
WHO now plans to meet representatives of consumer groups — many
of which accuse the food and drink industry of trying to
undermine WHO's proposed global strategy on diet, physical
activity and
health. The strategy is meant to be adopted by WHO's annual
assembly in 2004 and will form the basis of international
policy for years to come.
Francois-Xavier Perroud, spokesman for Nestle — the world's
biggest food and beverage company — said that the industry
wanted to work together with WHO. He said that success in the
battle against obesity and ill health would come “not
through opposing opinions and attitudes” but through
cooperation based on sound science.
The meeting comes in the wake of a controversial WHO report
which — for the first time — said that people
should cut consumption of sugar to less than 10 percent of
their calories
and reiterated findings that fats should account for 15-30
percent of energy intake.
The report infuriated the industry. The Sugar Association,
which represents U.S. growers and refiners, slammed it
as “misguided
and non-science-based” and a waste of taxpayer's money.
It threatened to lobby the U.S. Congress to challenge the
U.S. contribution of US$406 million to WHO. The U.S. National
Soft
Drink Association and the Grocery Manufacturers of America,
the world's largest association of food and beverage companies,
also oppose the 10 percent limit.
In her speech to the meeting, Brundtland defended the report's
recommendations.
Pekka Puska, WHO director of non-communicable disease,
said the talks focussed on future cooperation rather than
specific
criticism of WHO's recommendations.
“There were some questions about the report,
but the criticism wasn't taken up by either Pepsi or Coca
Cola,” he said.
“We acknowledge it was a first dialogue,” he said. “It's
quite clear that industry has their agenda, we have our agenda.
But we agree that if we want to change toward healthier diets,
that we have to continue the dialogue.”
By CLARE NULLIS
© MMIII The Associated Press.
