To address 73% of chronic deaths, the Kingdom's government is enacting legislation for food engineering

The Cabinet approved the National Policy for Promoting Healthy Dietary Habits, aiming to support quality of life and enhance public health in society, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which seeks to build a society where its members enjoy a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
The National Policy for Promoting Healthy Dietary Habits to achieve a set of strategic public health objectives, primarily promoting healthy eating habits in society, improving the quality of life for citizens and residents, and contributing to increasing life expectancy by reducing the incidence of chronic diseases.

Chronic diseases are a major driver for policy implementation

The policy is based on health data indicating that dietary lifestyle plays a pivotal role in reducing mortality rates from chronic diseases , which are among the leading causes of death in the Kingdom.
It is estimated that approximately 73% of all deaths in the Kingdom are related to chronic diseases, with cardiovascular diseases accounting for the largest share, reaching about 37% of all deaths associated with these diseases, according to the World Health Organization's 2016 report.
The Saudi Health Survey issued by the Ministry of Health in 2021 revealed several health indicators related to nutrition. The prevalence of hypertension among those aged 15 and above reached approximately 14%, while the prevalence of high cholesterol reached approximately 43%.
The prevalence of high blood glucose levels was approximately 4%, while the prevalence of overweight in the same age group was approximately 58%.
These indicators underscore the importance of adopting comprehensive national policies that promote healthy dietary lifestyles and contribute to reducing the prevalence of obesity and chronic diseases associated with malnutrition.

5 basic principles of policy

The national policy for promoting healthy eating habits is based on five key principles that form the general framework for its implementation.
The first principle is governance, through establishing a clear national framework and defining the responsibilities of the entities involved in implementing the policy.
The second principle is strengthening cooperation and partnerships between government agencies, the private sector, and community organizations to create a supportive and encouraging environment for adopting healthy eating habits.
Development and sustainability are the third principles, ensuring the continuity of efforts aimed at maintaining public health. The fourth principle focuses on awareness and education by providing a healthy eating environment that contributes to improving individuals' quality of life.
The fifth principle relies on data and scientific evidence as a fundamental tool for supporting decisions and achieving the policy's objectives.

Long-term health goals

The policy aims to achieve a range of long-term health outcomes, most notably increasing life expectancy in the Kingdom and reducing nutrition-related health risks such as high body mass index and unhealthy diets. It also aims to decrease the incidence of chronic nutrition-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The policy has identified several key indicators, including life expectancy, overweight and obesity rates among children aged 5 to 18, and obesity rates among adults over 18. Other indicators include the incidence of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. The
national policy for promoting healthy eating habits will be implemented across a wide range of locations and sectors, including public spaces such as markets, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, parks, and various modes of transportation.
It will also be implemented by government agencies of all types, healthcare facilities such as hospitals and health centers, and educational institutions such as universities, schools, childcare centers, and rehabilitation centers.
The application also extends to sports facilities such as clubs and stadiums, as well as land, sea and air ports including airports, ports and train stations, as well as entertainment and tourism events.

Implementation axes

The policy's implementation relies on four main pillars that represent its practical framework. The first pillar focuses on building partnerships and developing legislation, aiming to enhance cooperation between government entities and the private sector to adopt multi-sectoral policies that support the policy's objectives. This includes reviewing existing food legislation, addressing gaps, and developing new legislation that promotes healthy eating habits.
The second pillar focuses on promoting healthy nutritional principles and behaviors among individuals through the implementation of extensive awareness programs that foster a culture of healthy eating in society and support the adoption of balanced diets.
These programs include educational initiatives for the community on how to follow a healthy diet, awareness programs to reduce the consumption of low-nutritional-value foods, and training programs for chefs to encourage the provision of healthy alternative recipes.
This pillar also includes working to create supportive environments for a balanced diet by developing guidelines for determining food portion sizes, providing healthy food environments in recreational events and facilities for children, encouraging government entities and the private sector to provide healthy food options in workplaces, and engaging charitable organizations and non-profit institutions in disseminating a culture of healthy eating.
The third pillar of the policy focuses on developing the Kingdom's food value chain by adopting modern food and agricultural technologies that contribute to improving the nutritional value of food and enhancing the sustainability of natural resources. This includes supporting agricultural livelihoods in rural areas and encouraging local farmers to produce and market fruits and vegetables.
This pillar also encompasses promoting sustainable agricultural, industrial, and distribution practices that protect the environment and promote public health, as well as strengthening cooperation between farmers, manufacturers, and consumers to ensure an efficient and sustainable food chain.
The measures include educating farmers and agricultural workers about the importance of the nutritional value of agricultural products and their impact on public health, in addition to encouraging food suppliers and manufacturers to develop products with higher nutritional value, thereby improving the quality of food available in the local market.

Supporting research and innovation in the field of nutrition

The fourth pillar of the policy focuses on supporting research and innovation in the field of healthy nutrition. This is achieved through the establishment of specialized research centers and the provision of the necessary infrastructure to support scientific research, including advanced laboratories and modern research facilities.
also includes organizing conferences, seminars, and workshops that contribute to the exchange of knowledge and expertise among researchers and specialists, and promote collaborative research in nutrition. Furthermore,
the policy encourages the establishment of international partnerships in food research and development, the organization of competitions and award programs to stimulate innovation in nutrition, and the provision of technical and advisory support to innovators and researchers. Finally,
the policy supports the use of modern technologies such as genomics, biotechnology, and big data analytics in developing the food industry and improving the nutritional value of food.