The FAO report ‘The State of Food and Agriculture 2024 – Value-driven transformation of agrifood systems‘ emphasizes once again, as the previous report of 2023 (1) – the hidden costs of food. On public health first and foremost, but also on the environment and society.
1) FAO, the hidden costs of food
The hidden costs of food are beyond their selling price. In fact, most agri-food systems are characterised by the spread of ultra-processed foods with unbalanced nutritional profiles (HFSS, High in Fats, Sugar and Sodium), the consumption of which substantially affects the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) serious and chronic.
These foods often represent the cheapest option – or the most convenient, as they require less effort in preparation – and yet are the cause of malnutrition, globally. In both aspects of excess (in saturated fats, sugars and sodium) and defects (in proteins, dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables).
USD 12 trillion/year is the estimate of the hidden costs of food elaborated by FAO experts, in a study conducted in 156 of the 194 member countries. And about 70% of these costs, estimated at 8,1 trillion dollars, it should be noted, are of a health nature.
Because unbalanced foods and dietary patterns cause NCDs such as heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, cancer and various other diseases.
2) Health risk factors
The main risk factors of public health, at a global level, are identified in:
– insufficient intake of whole grains, which is associated with 18% of hidden food-related health costs;
– excessive salt/sodium intake, which is responsible for 16% of hidden health costs;
– low intake of fruit and vegetables, which in turn is responsible for 16% of the hidden costs of food;
– followed by excessive consumption of red and (especially) processed meats.
3) Health risks in various agri-food systems
Different socio-economic backgrounds are in turn associated with variations in nutritional and health risk factors:
– in most systems the main dietary risk factor is linked to diets low in whole grains;
– in agricultural systems in prolonged crisis (due to wars and famines) and in traditional ones, the main risk is the low consumption of fruit and vegetables;
– high salt consumption characterizes the evolution of agri-food systems and is starting to slightly decrease in industrial systems;
– the consumption of red and processed meats is constantly increasing in the transition from traditional to industrial systems.
4) Environmental and social costs
Paradoxically – despite the deadly impact of deforestation and the long-standing debates on the environmental impact of intensive livestock farming (3) – the hidden costs of food chains on public health, according to FAO experts, far exceed those on the environment and soil, as well as the social costs linked to inequalities in access to food.
The environmental impact of unsustainable agricultural practices is linked to changes in land use, water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions. ‘Countries facing protracted crises bear the highest relative environmental costs, equivalent to 20% of their gross domestic product‘.
‘The social costs, including poverty and malnutrition, are more prevalent in traditional agri-food systems and those affected by protracted crises. These social costs account for 8 and 18 percent of gross domestic product, respectively, highlighting the urgent need for improved livelihoods and integrated development and peace-building efforts‘.
5) ‘Everyone has a role to play‘
A transformation of agri-food systems is essential to reduce hidden costs on health, the environment and society. FAO insists that ‘real change begins with individual actions:
– a farmer who adopts sustainable practices
– an agri-food company and a financial system that rewards sustainable value chains
– a school and hospital that supports local food systems through sourcing
– a consumer who chooses better products for his health and for the environment‘.
‘Financial incentives, information and education programs and regulations can support this change, ensuring that vulnerable families can also participate and benefit from these changes‘.
‘These efforts must be supported by policies and investments that lead the collective transformation needed to holistically address the hidden costs of agri-food systems‘. Without neglecting the role of research institutions and civil society.
6) Provisional conclusions
‘The hidden costs of agri-food systems account for around 10% of global gross domestic product. Strategic action is therefore needed and all actors in agri-food systems, from producers and agri-businesses to consumers and governments, have a crucial role to play‘. (1)
In Italy, for example, the hidden health costs of the agri-food system are estimated at 5,62% of the gross domestic product. The governments that have succeeded each other in recent years, however, persist in postponing the ‘sugar tax’ from year to year and in strenuously opposing the Nutri-Score nutritional labeling system. Cui prodest?
Dario Dongo, Sabrina Bergamini
Note
(1) Dario Dongo, Alessandra Mei. FAO, SOFI report 2023. The hidden costs of agri-food systems. FT (Food Times). November 23, 2023
(2) The State of Food and Agriculture 2024 – Value-driven transformation of agrifood systems. FAO, Rome, 2024 https://doi.org/10.4060/cd2616en
(3) Dario Dongo, Marina De Nobili. Livestock, FAO proposes 5 areas of action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. FT (Food Times). August 29, 2020
(4) Dario Dongo. Public health, Nutri-Score and fiscal measures compared. FT (Food Times). 27.12.24
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
Journalist. Consumption, rights, nutrition, social, environment. Head of Consumers Help. She collaborated with ResetDOC, Il Riformista, La Nuova Ecologia, IMGPress.
