Uzbekistan is creating healthful diets a cornerstone of nationwide plan with the assistance of WHO
WHO/Nathalie Germain Julskov

Uzbekistan is getting significant measures in the direction of the avoidance of noncommunicable disorders (NCDs) with complex advice and aid from WHO. Lately, the place adopted a collection of essential measures that can appreciably increase food items protection and the high-quality of diet, reducing several health and fitness risk things for the population.
More healthy meal plans as national coverage
NCDs these kinds of as most cancers, cardiovascular health conditions, diabetic issues and continual respiratory illnesses, which are intently involved with possibility things this sort of as tobacco and alcohol consumption, harmful weight loss plans and physical inactivity, continue being an urgent general public overall health obstacle in Uzbekistan. NCDs are liable for about 79% of all deaths in the place, and cardiovascular disorders are the principal cause of untimely mortality.
“About a 3rd of the grownup population in the country has hypertension, and a fifth is at large threat of getting a heart attack or stroke,” stated Dr Lianne Kuppens, WHO Consultant to Uzbekistan. “Furthermore, in excess of a quarter of guys smoke tobacco and about 50 % the grownup inhabitants is over weight or obese.”
To reverse this stressing craze, in early 2020, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Overall health with aid from the Presidential Administration started to function on polices that would make foodstuff healthier for all individuals in the place. In November, the new tactic was adopted in the kind of a presidential resolution, making more healthy weight loss plans an critical section of nationwide plan.
Boosted by WHO expertise
In making ready this new solution, the Governing administration of Uzbekistan collaborated with multiple stakeholders. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and WHO state places of work in Uzbekistan were invited as customers of the performing group and steering committee. The WHO European Business office for the Avoidance and Control of NCDs and WHO/Europe’s food basic safety programme provided complex knowledge for the revision of the draft legislative package.
The freshly adopted presidential resolution introduced a nationwide diet plan based mostly on the best evidence-based tactics, like:
- the total fortification of flour to enrich it with micronutrients
- no cost-of-cost provision of micronutrients, vitamins and anthelmintic remedies to youngsters and girls to guidance healthful pregnancy and maternity
- the introduction of colour labelling for completely ready-to-try to eat meals products and solutions on a voluntary foundation from 1 July 2021 and on an obligatory basis from 2025 and
- the gradual elimination of trans fat with the introduction of new sanitary and epidemiological norms and benchmarks.
Uzbekistan’s agency take care of to deal with NCDs and leave no 1 behind in guaranteeing superior overall health and properly-becoming reflects the country’s dedication to the Sustainable Enhancement Targets and the WHO European Programme of Work for 2020–2025, “United Motion for Far better Wellness in Europe”.
Further more methods for better health and fitness
The confirmation of the new coverage was on the agenda of the intercontinental on line convention “Improvement of the support program of the populace with risk-free food stuff products”, held on 30 November 2020. The function collected intercontinental specialists from UNICEF, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Firm (FAO) and WHO to discuss the present-day and proposed reforms to the foods safety program in Uzbekistan, as properly as extra common policies to encourage healthful nutrition and food safety.
“The introduction and implementation of these insurance policies are pretty vital achievements for healthy nourishment and life in Uzbekistan,” claimed Dr João Breda, Distinctive Adviser to the WHO Regional Director for Europe. “The nation has our whole help for impending methods, and we glimpse ahead to continuing our collaboration.”
The meeting was organized jointly by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. A new draft legislation on meals security in Uzbekistan was presented at the conference, and will be additional reviewed with FAO, UNICEF and WHO to align it with worldwide criteria.
