The latest Global Burden of Disease survey (2019) suggests that every year nearly 8 million people die due to poor diet. Strikingly, diet low in whole grain was identified as one of the most prominent dietary risk factors for death globally. Add this on top of our growing population and the detrimental impact the food system has on the environment (it is responsible for about 25-30% of global greenhouse gas emissions), it’s clear that something needs to change.
Governments have a huge challenge ahead of them. How can they promote nutritious and affordable food to their citizens, while ensuring they reduce their impact on the world around them?
A spark of hope as we move from VUCA to permacrisis
CPW is proud to say that We Make Breakfast Better. Ever since we were created over 30 years ago, that’s been our promise to our consumers, our suppliers, our employees, and the communities where we work and live.
We want to build a company that’s truly sustainable – environmentally, economically, and one that our consumers can trust. However, if the last two years have taught us anything, it’s how fragile and illogical the world around us is, and how there’s plenty out there to test us! Just when we thought we were coming through the other side of the COVID crisis, more appeared – war in Europe, economic and political instability across the world, rising cost of living. It seems we’re in permacrisis.
All these crises are having a hugely detrimental impact on our food systems, and on people’s health. Disruption to supply chains, higher prices of production, and higher prices on the shelves mean more and more people don’t have access to the nutritious food they need to live healthy and active lives.
So, the question becomes: How can we work with governments to ensure everyone is getting the best nutrition in the most sustainable way possible?
Luckily, we have an unexpected ally waiting in the wings to support us: whole grain.
Naturally nutritious and environmentally friendly, whole grain is the ideal choice for budget and health-conscious consumers.
We just need to get more people eating it.
Whole grain: our unsung superhero
There are many and varied reasons why people don’t eat more whole grain. Sometimes it’s a question of not knowing what whole grain is, or not liking the taste. Others may find whole grain products more expensive, or simply don’t know how to cook with it and so don’t buy it. Most of the time, however, the reticence around whole grain comes down to a lack of understanding – of what it is, what its benefits are, how it can help us play a part in slowing down climate change.
It doesn’t take much for whole grain to start making a difference. Even a small amount more in our diets each day can have a marked benefit on our health. Studies suggest that by eating more whole grain, you’re putting yourself at lower risk from getting heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.
And if we as a population are getting healthier, this means so are governments’ balance sheets. Fewer people getting ill means less strain on healthcare systems and budgets. There is a huge amount of research that’s already been done which shows that if we can get people eating even a little more wholegrain, it can have a significant impact on the bottom line.
- In Australia, increased whole grain consumption could lead to annual healthcare cost savings of up to 1.4 billion AU$, enough to build five hospitals.
- Finland could save about 1 billion EUR over 10 years from reduced type 2 diabetes-related costs, or the cost of 7,000 playgrounds.
- The US government could save up to USD 35.9 billion due to reduced cardiovascular and coronary heart events, the equivalent of 15,000 high schools.
And it’s not just the economy that would benefit from increased whole grain consumption – it’s better for the planet, too. Grains have one of the lowest carbon footprints of all food groups. Producing a kilogram of beef emits 60 kilograms (kg) of greenhouse gases (or CO2-equivalents) across the supply chain. Producing the same amount of wheat or rye produces only 1.4kg.
If governments want to safeguard budgets as well as the environment, encouraging more people to eat more whole grain seems to be the easy answer. So how do we do that?
Three simple steps
Here at CPW, we believe there are three simple things governments can, and should, do to increase whole grain consumption.
1. Make whole grain count
Whole grain, for all the positive benefits it has on health, isn’t currently part of most national dietary guidelines. Despite most countries and health organisations acknowledging we need to eat more whole grain, there is no agreement or consistency in how much whole grain we should eat each day.
2. Highlight whole grain through front of pack labels
Front of pack labels (such as Nutri-Score, the Traffic-light system, the Health Star Rating) have proven very effective at helping consumers pick and eat healthier food. However, they don’t currently include whole grain as part of their algorithms. Given the proven health benefits of whole grain, it would make sense to include them as part of these rating systems and schemes.
3. Help people understand what whole grain is
Develop new public-private partnerships to run consumer educational programs and marketing campaigns about whole grain – explaining what it is, how to find it, and why it’s important to eat more.
Over the last 19 years, we’ve been on a journey to improve the content of our cereals. More recently, we set a bold ambition to make the nutritional profile of our cereals a competitive advantage. We’ve increased whole grain and fiber while significantly reducing sugar and salt. Today 90% of our breakfast cereals have whole grain as the predominant ingredient. We’ve created a portfolio which tastes great but still reflects the needs and expectations of our consumers.
Now we’re calling on governments, academics, and policy makers to work with us to make sure the goodness of whole grain is understood and embraced by our consumers. It’s a challenge that all of us at CPW are ready and willing to overcome – will you join us?
Opinion by Ece Nevra Durukan, Head of Nutrition, Regulatory, and Scientific Affairs, Cereal Partners Worldwide
