FAO presents data and evidence on access to and consumption of healthy diets at the XXI Latin American Congress of Nutrition

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through its Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, participated in the XXI Latin American Congress of Nutrition, organized by the Latin American Nutrition Society (SLAN 2026, for its Spanish acronym) held from October 25 to 29. During the event, the FAO presented tools and experiences regarding food-based dietary guidelines—developed with a food systems approach—as well as initiatives to improve school feeding programs through the Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES, part of the Brazil-FAO Cooperation). Additionally, the organization shared policy evidence aimed at preventing and halting the rise in overweight and obesity by increasing access to and consumption of healthy diets.

SLAN is a key regional forum held every three years. This edition was organized by the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA) of the University of Chile and brought together over a thousand participants from universities, governments, civil society, and organizations such as UNICEF, the Observatory on the Right to Food, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The discussion addressed how agrifood systems—from production to consumption—can contribute to better nutrition. The research and experiences presented provided a basis for discussing policies related to food environments, access to nutritious food, and the reduction of malnutrition.

“Improving nutrition requires increasing access to and consumption of healthy diets. At the FAO, we support countries by providing data and evidence to inform decision-making in the design, implementation, and evaluation of policies aimed at enhancing such access and consumption, thereby contributing to food security and nutrition. This congress serves as a platform for generating knowledge and sharing experiences with leading experts and specialists from academia and the scientific community,” noted Daniela Godoy, FAO’s Senior Policy officer for Food Security and Nutrition for Latin America and the Caribbean. 

The meeting included the participation of Lynnette Neufeld, Director of the Food and Nutrition Division; José Rosero Moncayo, Director of the Statistics Division; Daniela Godoy, Senior Food Security and Nutrition Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean; Israel Ríos-Castillo, Regional Nutrition Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean; Fransen Jean, Food Security Officer for the Caribbean; and other members of the technical teams. 

Towards healthy diets for all

In the context of SLAN 2026, the FAO convened a side event focused on partnerships and actions to transform agrifood systems in the region in support of healthy diets for all. The dialogue addressed the capacity of agricultural systems to ensure the availability of various types of food in the quantities recommended by dietary guidelines, as well as the experiences of countries in this regard. 

FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative, Rene Orellana Halkyer, emphasized that the contributions to the meeting—covering policies, actions, and research—"will inform the development of the 2026 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition. This edition will delve into data and evidence on how to reduce the cost of—and increase the consumption of—healthy diets, in light of low healthy food intake, rising prices, and disruptions affecting agrifood systems, such as the El Niño phenomenon and the climate crisis."

It is worth noting that the 2026 *State of Food Security and Nutrition* report indicates that Latin America and the Caribbean has seen a reduction in hunger and food insecurity for the fifth consecutive year. Nevertheless, 172 million people in the region still lack regular access to a healthy diet. Latin America and the Caribbean also face the highest costs globally—at 4.91 PPP dollars per person per day—while rates of overweight, obesity, and other forms of malnutrition continue to rise, exceeding global estimates.  

In light of these barriers, Lynnette Neufeld, Director of the FAO’s Food and Nutrition Division, highlighted the importance of linking agricultural policies with nutrition goals. “We need to identify gaps in the supply of nutritious foods and review production incentives to ensure they align with dietary recommendations. The challenge lies in improving access and affordability, while balancing nutrition objectives with economic and environmental ones,” she noted, outlining some of the key points to be presented in a global report on healthy diets, which will be launched during the 182nd session of the FAO Council this December.

Globally, the hidden costs of agrifood systems amount to $12 trillion annually. Nearly 70% of this figure is linked to unhealthy dietary patterns and non-communicable diseases—such as diabetes, heart conditions, and strokes—making it essential to ensure access to healthy diets. The meeting concluded that this effort does not depend solely on individual choices, but also on food systems and the environments in which they operate.