Ana Islas Ramos (Nutrition Officer, FAO) spoke about the use of FBDGs to inform policies and programmes to transform food systems:

1 - what they are (history, evolution, what they are, are not);

2 - general aspects on the development and implementation of FBDGs to inform food systems;

3 - potential of FBDGs;

4 - messages to be retained.

FBDGs are intended to serve as a basis for public policies in the areas of food and nutrition, health and agriculture, and for nutrition education programmes to promote healthy eating habits and lifestyles. They provide advice on foods, food groups and diets that provide populations with the nutrients needed to promote health and prevent chronic diseases.

They involve a systematic multi-stakeholder approach to their development and implementation, as well as to their review and updating. They are aimed at a range of groups: policy makers, professionals or target population groups, ....

FBDGs have great potential to promote healthy and sustainable diets by informing policies and programmes. But they need to be better understood, developed, communicated, used and evaluated. Finally, the SDGs require that FBDGs take sustainability into account.