Food-based dietary guidelines

Food-based dietary guidelines (also known as dietary guidelines) are intended to establish a basis for public food and nutrition, health and agricultural policies and nutrition education programmes to foster healthy eating habits and lifestyles. They provide advice on foods, food groups and dietary patterns to provide the required nutrients to the general public to promote overall health and prevent chronic diseases.

FAO assists Member Countries to develop, revise and implement food-based dietary guidelines and food guides in line with current scientific evidence. FAO also carries out periodic reviews on progress made in the development and use of dietary guidelines, tracking changes in their overall focus and orientation.

More than 100 countries worldwide have developed food-based dietary guidelines that are adapted to their nutrition situation, food availability, culinary cultures and eating habits. In addition countries publish food guides, often in the form of food pyramids and food plates, which are used for consumer education Read more

Please note that individual country pages are only available in English and that FAO does not necessarily endorse the development processes of countries by including their information in this platform.