MPs called on parliaments to meet a series of national nutritional targets by 2025 in order to contribute to a sustainable world with food security and adequate nutrition for all.
Meeting in Rome in parallel to the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), MPs stressed the need to adopt national nutrition policies and plans taking into consideration the six global nutritional targets included in the WHO Comprehensive Implementation Plan on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition: 40% reduction of the global number of children under five who are stunted; 50% reduction of anemia in women of reproductive age; 30% reduction of low birth weight; 0% increase in childhood overweight; increasing the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months up to at least 50%; and reducing and maintaining childhood wasting (low weight-for-height) to less than 5%.
The event in Rome, jointly organized by IPU and the Italian Parliament and supported by FAO and WHO, gathered some 100 MPs from across the world sharing a common commitment to maintaining food and nutrition as a priority on their national agendas.
Parliaments were also called to develop legislation and oversee regulation to create health-promoting environments by protecting, educating and empowering consumers. This includes measures such as the establishment of labeling standards - information on sugars, salts, fats and trans-fat content – as well as marketing regulation, in particular for children. Also highlighted was the need to empower and support women through legislation and to increase their access to quality health care.
The statement adopted by MPs was incorporated to the final outcome of ICN2. Presenting the results of the Parliamentary Meeting, IPU´s Honorary President Pier Ferdinando Casini stressed the elimination of all kinds of malnutrition “is an imperative which spares no country and must be achieved within our life time.”
