UN agency says over 60pc of citizens unable to afford healthy diet in Pakistan

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has highlighted the urgent need to overhaul Pakistan's agrifood system to improve access to healthy diets. This is a crucial step in addressing all forms of malnutrition and their associated costs to society. According to the UN agency, over 60 percent of Pakistanis are unable to afford a healthy diet, contributing to high rates of malnutrition and the rise of diet-related non-communicable diseases.

At the same time, undernutrition remains a significant issue. The FAO assessment outlines several policy actions to strengthen demand for healthy diets, including consumer-focused policies, updating the national food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs), introducing fiscal measures like taxes on sugary beverages, implementing front-of-pack nutrition labelling, protecting vulnerable populations, restricting unhealthy food marketing, expanding school meal programmes, and strengthening social protection programmes.

The assessment also recommends reorienting the agrifood system to produce more vegetables, fruits, pulses, roots, and tubers, and promoting healthier retail food environments through investments in storage and market infrastructure.