Nutrition
For you and your community
Healthy eating can help protect long-term health and reduce the risk of cancer and other non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
It does not have to be perfect or complicated. Small, realistic changes can make a difference over time.
Eating more vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, lentils and nuts, drinking water more often, and limiting foods and drinks high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats can all support better health.
5
portions of fruit and vegetables
a day can support health
400g
fruit and vegetables per day
recommended for adults
Water
is a healthy everyday choice
instead of sugary drinks
Progress
matters more than perfection
start with one realistic change
Healthy eating does not have to be complicated
There is a lot of advice about food, and it can sometimes feel confusing. But healthy eating can start with simple everyday choices.
Adding more vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, lentils and nuts can support long-term health. Drinking water more often instead of sugary drinks is another simple step.
The goal is not a perfect diet. The goal is progress that can last.
Healthier eating can support your body and wellbeing
Food choices affect health in many ways. Small improvements can support individuals, families and communities over time.
Support heart health
Eating less salt and choosing more nutritious foods can help support healthy blood pressure and reduce risks linked to heart and blood vessel diseases.
Reduce risk of some diseases
A healthy diet can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.
Support energy and wellbeing
Balanced meals with nutritious foods can support energy, concentration and overall wellbeing.
Support children’s growth
Healthy food environments at home, school and in the community can support children’s growth, development and long-term habits.
Build healthier routines
Small changes are easier to keep when they fit into everyday life and are supported by the people and places around you.
Small steps can make a difference
Everyone’s situation is different. Healthy eating should be realistic, affordable and possible in daily life.
You can:
- Add vegetables or fruit to meals when possible
- Choose whole grains more often
- Eat beans, lentils, nuts or other plant-based foods more often
- Drink mostly water or unsweetened drinks
- Limit sugary drinks
- Limit foods high in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats
- Reduce red meat and avoid processed meat when possible
- Choose simple meals that do not need to be perfect
- Use iodized salt, while keeping salt intake low
- Breastfeed your baby if possible
Start with one change that feels realistic. The goal is not a perfect diet. The goal is progress that can last.
Healthy choices are easier when surroundings support them
Food choices are not made in isolation. They are shaped by what is available, affordable, marketed, served in schools and workplaces, and treated as normal in everyday life.
This means healthy eating is not only about willpower. People need surroundings that make nutritious food easier to access and choose.
Healthier homes, schools, workplaces, shops, public institutions and communities can all support better nutrition.
Helpful surroundings can include
It can be easier when there are:
- Affordable vegetables, fruit and whole-grain foods
- Drinking water that is easy to access
- Healthier meals in schools, hospitals and workplaces
- Shops and community spaces that offer nutritious options
- Clear and understandable food labels
- Less marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks to children
- Family and social support for healthier routines
- Time, skills and resources to prepare simple meals
- Public policies that make healthier food more available and affordable
Supportive food environments make healthier choices easier, fairer and more realistic for everyone.
Common myths about nutrition
Food advice can be confusing, especially online. Some messages make healthy eating seem more complicated, expensive or extreme than it needs to be.
“Healthy eating has to be perfect”
Healthy eating does not need to be perfect. Small changes that you can keep over time are more useful than unrealistic rules.
“Healthy food is only about weight”
Nutrition supports much more than body weight. It affects heart health, energy, wellbeing, growth and long-term disease prevention.
“All foods are equally healthy if eaten in moderation”
Some foods and drinks are better limited, especially those high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. What people eat often and over time matters.
“Sugary drinks are just like other drinks”
Sugary drinks can add a lot of sugar and calories without helping people feel full. Drinking water more often is a simple healthier choice.
“Healthy eating is only about individual choice”
Food choices are shaped by price, availability, marketing, time, income, culture, family routines and the places where people live, learn and work.
Healthy eating should be possible for everyone
Not everyone has the same access to affordable, nutritious food. Cost, time, transport, housing, work schedules, caring responsibilities and local food availability can all affect what people are able to eat.
This is why nutrition should not be discussed in a way that blames individuals or families.
A fair approach gives people reliable information, practical support and food environments where healthier choices are easier, more affordable and more accessible.
Start with one realistic change
Healthy eating can support long-term health, but it does not need to be perfect or complicated.
You can start with one small change: drinking water more often, adding vegetables or fruit, choosing whole grains, limiting sugary drinks, or preparing a simple meal when possible.
Small changes are easier to keep when they fit your life and when the people and places around you support them.
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