I am speaking on behalf of the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
We support the decision proposed.
We welcome current activities in scaling up global action to promote better nutrition and healthy dietary habits. In particular, we would like to emphasise the importance of implementing the commitments of the Rome Declaration adopted by ICN2 last November. We also welcome the Framework for Action as a useful tool with a set of voluntary options and strategies for implementation.
However, this is not enough. For effective implementation of commitments made, we need evidence-informed guidance from WHO on the policy areas identified in the Rome Declaration and in the Framework for Action. In particular, we need updated guidelines on healthy diets.
We urge WHO to put high priority on this important topic and produce and publish the revised guidelines on healthy diets without delay; and to facilitate with such normative guidance also the effective implementation of the NCD Action Plan and the UN Political Declaration on NCDs.
We need guidance also on measures and tools for promotion of healthy dietary habits and reduction of saturated fat, transfat, salt and sugars in foods and beverages. Moreover, updated calculations on costs and benefits of different policy options to promote healthy diets should be developed and updated in a transparent process.
Let me conclude by saying that we remain committed to promote healthy dietary habits. We have a longstanding scientific collaboration on evidence based Nordic dietary guidelines, Nordic Nutrition Recommendation 2012 which integrates nutrition, physical activity and sustainable diet. Typical features of the healthy new Nordic Diet include, for example, plenty of vegetables, berries and wholegrain foods, regular intake of fish, low-fat dairy and limited intake of processed meat, salt and sugar.
We look forward to further WHO guidance to accomplish commitments made.