The Future of Nutrition: Putting Holistic Health First

World Economic Forum

Introduction

Consumers are increasingly seeking healthy, affordable food but the market is dominated by unhealthy choices. Global issues, such as climate change, geo-political conflicts, and the pandemic, are putting pressure on food and nutrition security. The 'Metabolic Matrix' aims to serve as one example of how the food and beverage industry can reengineer its products to improve human and environmental health despite these challenges. Now is the time for laying out the pathways to a new future for sustainable and healthy food.

The Metabolic Matrix

Simultaneous impacts from accelerating climate change, international conflicts, economic pressures, and supply chain disruptions continue to challenge consumer industries’ progress toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and pose a significant threat to food and nutrition security. Waves upon waves of communicable and non-communicable diseases combine to create unprecedented, and unsustainable challenges, to human health. Both COVID-19 and increased levels of metabolic disease are negatively affecting multiple systems of the body and are weakening individual and societal resilience.

Conclusion

Food companies will need to significantly alter their food portfolios in the coming years to transform the default environment and surround these consumers with healthier and more nutritionally balanced food choices. For many food companies, that means fundamentally changing food portfolios and re-engineering many food products to make them healthy, nutritious, tasty, affordable, and widely available to consumers.