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– The Norwegian authorities should be the best in their class. Norway is a wealthy country, so there is great potential to do better, says Liv Elin Torheim, a professor at the Oslo Met School of Health Sciences.
An expert panel of 34 independent Norwegian experts in nutrition and public health has assessed the efforts of the Norwegian authorities with regard to the focus on healthy eating and the prevention of overweight and obesity.
The project is called the Healthy Food Environmental Policy Index (Food-EPI) and is part of the Policy Evaluation Network (PEN) in which five other European countries also participate.
In Norway, researchers at the Oslo Met have been responsible for implementation, and much of the advice authorities receive in the report applies to children and young people.
– It is important to prevent when it comes to overweight and obesity. It is a better strategy than trying to treat it. So you have to create the conditions for a healthy diet in childhood, says Torheim.
Liv Elin Torheim, Professor at the Oslo Met Faculty of Health Sciences.
Photo: NRK
– It should be the best in its class.
“Order all municipalities to offer a simple school meal. Dietary surveys show that children and young people have too high an intake of saturated fats and added sugars, and too low an intake of fruits, vegetables and fish compared to the recommendations ”, is one of the tips of the report.
The experts further write that the school meal should consist of at least free school fruit. It is added that there must be room for local adaptation and state co-financing.
Because even though young Norwegians are healthier compared to other young Europeans, less than half of them follow the dietary advice of health authorities, according to the so-called HEVAS report, which came out in June. It was carried out under the auspices of the WHO.
Among other things, it showed that many Norwegian children and young people do not follow the recommendation of daily intake of fruits and vegetables, and many do not receive the recommended amount of physical activity.
– As society is today, it promotes obesity. The authorities should facilitate a society that promotes a healthy diet, believes Torheim.
In addition to requiring school meals, the panel provides a number of other specific advice to authorities.
Young Norwegian people constantly eat very little of this.
Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB scanpix
– I should take this seriously
Here are some of them:
- Actively use price instruments, among other things, will introduce a differentiated tax on sugar and have low taxes on healthy foods.
- Introduce legislation regulating the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages directed at children.
- Labeling of calories, fat, salt and sugar on restaurant menus.
- Introduce legislation to regulate the sale and marketing of energy drinks with high caffeine content to protect children and young people.
- Create a Minister of Public Health in the Prime Minister’s Office.
- Investment aimed at research in agriculture to stimulate greater production of plant-based foods.
The experts’ conclusion is that Norway is doing well in some areas, but:
– They (Norwegian authorities, editor’s note) do not follow the recommendations on how to limit the marketing of unhealthy food and drink to children. They don’t use price measures, which are also recommended by the World Health Organization that we should do, he says.
– A general political leadership should take this seriously, emphasizes Torheim.
Minister of Health and Sanitary Services Bent Høie.
Photo: Eskil Wie Furunes / NRK
High: – Concerned about development
Health and Care Services Minister Bent Høie says the proposal to require all municipalities to offer only one school meal every day is not a priority.
– The main challenge in school is not that they do not have food, but that they do not have time to eat the food they bring with them. Therefore, we have established some guidelines for schools and municipalities that should make it easier for children to eat the food they have with them, says Høie.
– We must improve to ensure that the food we eat in everyday life is healthier and we must be more active in school. But the school can’t compensate if parents let their youngsters sit and play all night.
– Are you afraid that the development of obesity among young people will get worse?
– I am concerned about development and I am glad that we receive these types of reports that point out the challenges. So I would like you to be more creative in your instrument proposals, because we need to think again. Don’t just use fees and regulations, now we need to look at other instruments. So I have a lot of faith in working with those who prepare the food we eat, says Høie.
