By Bolanle Dada (RD), Research Scientist at LIA.
As the global prevalence of diet-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions continues to rise, it has become glaring that unhealthy food environments are impeding the progress for the global goals associated with health and nutrition— SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Over the years, major improvements have been made on food security and food safety, largely pioneered by the private sector. Yet, these advancements have not translated into corresponding gains for global nutrition and health, thereby revealing a clear disconnect between food availability, food access, and the nutritional quality of food. In turn, the costs associated with this persistent gap are huge, extending far beyond health to impact economies and the environment.
The Paris Declaration on Business & Nutrition 2030: A Turning Point for the Nutrition Economy
This reality calls for bold and immediate action, a demand that stood at the heart of the 2025 Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris. A key highlight of the summit was the strong emphasis placed on one of its three cross-cutting themes, financing and accountability for nutrition, as stakeholders from across sectors deliberated and aligned on a common vision; the Paris Declaration on Business & Nutrition 2030, in a shared quest to unlock a stronger ”nutrition economy” for every country, where everyone is accountable. In the declaration, the nutrition economy was conceptualised as the “financial and market-driven aspects of nutrition, aiming to realign business incentives, investment flows, and economic models to prioritise healthier diets”. It focuses on meaningful private sector engagement, tackling market failures, and utilising financing strategies to improve nutrition outcomes.
The declaration outlines pathways for building meaningful synergy between businesses, governments, investors, civil society, and international organisations to:
- Create supportive regulatory environments.
- Align financial frameworks to incentivise healthy food investments.
- Strengthen accountability and collaboration across sectors. (Read more here).
This represents a pivotal moment for global nutrition, offering a practical and inclusive blueprint for action to transform food markets and promote healthier food environments around the world, especially in developing countries grappled with the dual burden of malnutrition due to rapid urbanisation and evolving food systems. The economic case for this is equally compelling, for every dollar invested in addressing undernutrition, a return of $23 is expected, according to the World Bank.
The private sector has a huge role to play in all of these, from reformulating products to improve the nutritional quality of food products, supporting responsible marketing practices, improving supply chains, empowering consumers with clear information, measuring, tracking, and reporting progress, as well as enabling public-private partnerships.
Less Is Adequate (LIA): Championing a New Era of Business and Nutrition
The Paris Declaration is a call for shared responsibility, and it requires a theory of change that involves everyone. Less Is Adequate is proud to be among the early advocates putting the Declaration into motion by convening experts across the policy, business, and civil society sectors for a high-impact webinar focused on turning commitments into action.
Theme: From Commitment to Action – Advancing the Paris Declaration on Business & Nutrition 2030
Date: Thursday, 5th June 2025
Time: 4:00 PM (CET)
Platform: Microsoft Teams (Virtual)
Speakers:
- Greg Garrett, Executive Director, ATNi
- Anita Bake, Head of Programmes, Less Is Adequate
Join us using this link as we unpack what meaningful engagement looks like, break down key aspects of the declaration, and highlight how everyone (from multinational companies to their investors and the governments) has a role in shaping a global food industry that delivers not only on health but also on economic resilience and environmental sustainability.
