THE World Health Organisation says “obesity nearly tripled between 1975 and 2016” worldwide, and we know this to be a result of unhealthy eating habits or poor choices in food, coupled with inadequate physical exercise.

Much has changed since 1975, obviously, and now it’s easier to gain weight. Back then, home-cooking was the norm; today, its convenience. We’re practically surrounded by restaurants, markets, 24-hour convenience stores, and vending machines. But it doesn’t necessarily mean we are surrounded by healthy food. It takes effort to seek, purchase, prepare and then stick to a nutrient-dense, low-calorie diet. Isn’t it faster to grab a packaged product and go back to our computers?

But then again with the growing health concerns associated with bad diets, surveys show consumers are realising the need to go back to the discipline of healthy eating. Innova Market Insights coined it “mindful choices.” In fact most trends in 2018 point to consumption of simpler and more natural foods and products.

In its website, the UN agency also recommends the food industry to help promote heathier diets by: reducing the fat, sugar and salt content of processed foods; ensuring that healthy and nutritious choices are available and affordable to all consumers; restricting marketing of foods high in sugars, salt and fats, especially those foods aimed at children and teenagers; and by ensuring the availability of healthy food choices and supporting regular physical activity practice in the workplace.

How far has the industry gone to meet these recommendations?