26^th Global Obesity Meeting

Diet and Health

The food choices we make can have an important impact on our health. However, expert opinions continue to change about which and how much of these foods are optimal. The World Health Organization (WHO) makes the following 5 recommendations with respect to both populations and individuals. Maintain a healthy weight by eating roughly the same number of calories that your body is using. Limit intake of fats. Not more than 30% of the total calories should come from fats. Prefer unsaturated fats to saturated fats. Avoid Trans fats. Eat at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day (potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava and other starchy roots do not count). A healthy diet also contains legumes (e.g. lentils, beans), whole grains and nuts. Limit the intake of sugar. A 2003 report recommends less than 10% of calorie intake from simple sugars.