• Codex''s stated main purposes; and

• Codex’s remit
all make it clear that careful consideration of optimal health through nutrition is, in fact, foundational to the very purpose for which Codex exists. Considering nutrition and optimal health, and acting to support and ensure them as mandated will avert significant burdens imposed by preventable non-communicable disease and their dire consequences for the people of the world. Doing so will also prevent a serious dereliction of duty and responsibility to the consumers of Codex'' member nations by Codex. In fact, if Codex were only about trade and not about ensuring optimal health, nutritional security and well-being of consumers, there would be no need for Codex. This is especially true for the CCNFSDU and CCFL, the primary components of the Codex system with an assigned relationship to nutrition and a role to play in nutrition within Codex. The optimal health and nutritional security of the world’s consumers depend upon a positive, not an adversarial, relationship between Codex and nutrition. Consumers’ health, well-being and their very survival, however, depend to a much lesser degree on the relationship between Codex and trade.

The WHO/FAO GLOBAL STRATEGY ON DIET, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH clearly states that chronic diseases are preventable and that the developing world is facing massive medical consequences of a nutritionally compromised food supply which it can ill afford in either human or economic terms. The strategy addresses two of the major risk factors responsible for the heavy and growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which now account for some 60% of global deaths and almost half (47%) of the global burden of disease. NCDs include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers and obesity-related conditions. "Non-communicable diseases are imposing a growing burden upon low and middle-income countries, which have limited resources and are still struggling to meet the challenges of existing problems with infectious diseases," said Dr Catherine Le Galès-Camus, WHO Assistant-Director General, Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health. "The WHO/FAO GLOBAL STRATEGY ON DIET, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH strategy recommends a prevention-oriented approach that emphasizes the need for countries to develop coherent, multi-sectoral national strategies with a long-term, sustainable perspective, to make the healthy choices the preferred alternatives at both the individual and community level. (http://www.epha.org/a/1253). The WHO/FAO GLOBAL STRATEGY ON DIET, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH itself states “Nutrition is coming to the fore as a major, modifiable determinant of chronic disease with scientific evidence increasingly supporting the view that alterations in diet have strong effects, both positive and negative, on health throughout life.” It is clear that the category of foods known as dietary supplements can play a key role in eliminating world hunger and promoting world health outcomes in line with the WHO/FAO GLOBAL STRATEGY ON DIET, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH and, both through it and independently from it, in line with the articulated mandate and appropriate activities of Codex.

Recommendations

In order to fulfill those requirements and mandates, it is imperative that CCNFSDU and CCFL focus on the following issues as specific agenda items in their forthcoming Committee sessions:

1. Formally recognize and accept that nutrients are not toxins. They should be subjected to sound assessment procedures which take into account empirical, clinical, statistical and peer review processes and which take acknowledged benefits and desirable impact from the use of them in order to achieve positive outcomes, into consideration;

2. Formally accept nutrients as generally safe and encourage the unrestricted sale of that category of food called "dietary supplements" at all levels, including optimum potency levels, throughout the world;

3. Ban all added trans fats derived from industrial hydrogenation in the production of food;

4. Ensure that countries are encouraged to add, and do not place restrictions on the addition of nutrients which are supported by biochemistry, clinical nutrition, clinical experience, empirical observation and customary usage to food;

5. Ensure that countries enact strong legislative restrictions on the addition of industrial toxins to food, which are not supported by biochemistry, clinical nutrition, clinical experience and customary usage;

6. Allow and encourage enrichment of foods through the addition of that class of food called dietary supplements in order to optimize nutrient density of foods. Require that countries compensate for the decline in micronutrients in agricultural produce (e.g., fruits and vegetables) as a result of the depletion of trace nutrients in soil by commercial agriculture practices through the incorporation of that class of food called dietary supplements in order to optimize nutrient density of these foods;

7. Encourage and support the development of national and international policies which, enhance local, national, regional and global optimal nutrition through life-style modification (including diet), fortification and supplementation with that category of food called dietary supplements at all levels, including optimum potency levels;

8. Identify foods that do not contribute to, conflict with or are not essential for a healthy lifestyle (”junk food”). Similarly, identify foods that can support a healthy life-style. Support nutrition and health claims in labelling and advertising for those foods that do contribute to a healthy life-style and ban nutrition and health claims on the labelling and advertising of those foods which do not contribute to a healthy life style in order to encourage health-supporting foods and discourage ones that do not support health;