The World Health Organization estimates that 70% of the 1.4 billion worldwide episodes of diarrheal diseases occurring in children under the age of five years are caused by pathogens transmitted in foods and water. In the United States, approximately 5,000 deaths, 76 million illnesses and 325,000 hospitalizations are reported annually due to food-borne illnesses. Exposure to chemical, physical, or biological hazards can pose serious risks for pregnant women, infants, and young children—risks that are greater than or different from the risks experienced by nonpregnant adults.
Many countries and groups have developed dietary guidelines. In many countries, however, such guidelines address the overall population, omit mention of pregnant and lactating women, exclude infants and children under two years of age, and omit a specific guideline about food safety.
Key Messages
- Food-based dietary guidelines aim to promote good health primarily through food choices that provide adequate nutrients and that reduce risk of certain chronic diseases.
- Although the focus of food-based dietary guidelines is on balanced and moderate intake of a variety of nutritious foods (sometimes including fortified foods), vitamin/mineral supplementation is a complementary strategy that may be needed to promote adequate nutrition in some vulnerable groups.
- Food safety is essential to the promotion of optimal health.
- Although everyone can be affected by food-borne and water-borne illnesses, pregnant women and young children are among the most susceptible.
- From production to consumption, there are many points at which to intervene to improve the safety of food and water.
- Changes in consumer practices can significantly reduce the occurrence of food-borne and water-borne illnesses.
Recommendations
- Ensure that food-based dietary guidelines address the nutritional requirements of periconceptional, pregnant and lactating women and very young children.
- Incorporate food safety issues into strategies to promote optimal health and nutrition.
- Implement science-based statutes, regulations and monitoring to improve the safety of agricultural commodities and commercial foods.
Strategies to support these recommendations include the development of educational tools and dissemination processes that are appropriate for women and very young children. In addition, evaluation methods should be established to determine impact on knowledge, attitudes and food consumption patterns. Finally, operational links between food safety and nutrition, safe agricultural practices, and food processing and distribution guidelines or regulations should be developed.
