On October 16, World Food Day, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU) renews its call for a united commitment against waste, malnutrition, and food inequalities. The 2025 edition, dedicated to the theme “Hand in hand for a better diet and a brighter future”, invites institutions, citizens, and the scientific community to join forces to build a more equitable and sustainable food system.
«We must combine scientific expertise, social responsibility and educational commitment and invest in the new generations to guarantee a future based on more aware, sustainable and healthy dietary choices – said Prof. Anna Tagliabue, president of SINU – It means walking together, hand in hand indeed, institutions, citizens, schools, health professionals and players in the agri-food sector, to build and disseminate a nutritional model that respects the environment, valorizes food culture and promotes collective well-being».
Waste and unsustainable production: a system to rethink
According to the OECD and FAO report Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034, global agricultural and fishing production will grow by 14% in the coming decade, with rising demand for animal-origin foods, responsible for 57% of the sector’s global greenhouse gas emissions. Add to this the chronic problem of food waste, which amounts to about 1.3 billion tons of food per year worldwide. The Food Waste Index Report 2024 estimates 1,052 million tons of food waste generated in 2022 across households, catering and retail, equivalent to 132 kg per capita per year. In Italy, according to Waste Watcher Italia, average waste in 2025 stands at 88.3 grams per day per person.
«With the revision of the LARN and the new graphical representation of the Food Pyramid we have contributed to building the foundations for change», continues President Tagliabue. “
“They are two important documents capable of guiding food choices toward modern, sustainable, healthy and plant-based dietary patterns, grounded in scientific evidence and oriented toward the well-being of people and the planet».
The other side of the crisis: childhood obesity and world hunger
A recent UNICEF report indicates that obesity has surpassed underweight as the most widespread form of malnutrition, affecting one in ten children or adolescents (188 million worldwide). SINU councilor Francesca Scazzina notes: «Parents bear the emotional burden of their children’s health problems and the financial strain of higher medical expenses and lost income to take care of them. […] Millions of children and adolescents grow up in environments where sugary drinks, salty snacks and sweets, and fast food are readily accessible and aggressively marketed».
In Italy, data from OKkio alla salute 2023 show that 19% of children are overweight and 10% are obese. 26% do not consume fruits and vegetables daily, and 45% spend more than two hours a day in front of digital screens. Simultaneously, global hunger remains dire: according to the United Nations, 733 million people (9.2% of the world population) are undernourished, and the share could rise by 8% by 2050.
SINU: a scientific commitment to sustainability and health
«Climate change, social inequalities, environmental degradation are just a few of the complex challenges we face that require targeted and coordinated global policies – concludes President Tagliabue. – Through scientific research, nutritional education, and responsible food policies, SINU is daily committed to building a future where sustainability and health go hand in hand, ensuring everyone a more mindful, equitable, and environmentally respectful diet».
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