Supporting consumer choices toward healthy, safe, and sustainable diets in low- and middle-income countries

Rising incomes lead to increased demand for perishable and animal-sourced products, whereas urbanization is associated with rising demand for convenient processed foods. Traditional consumption of cereals and starchy crops is complemented with fruits and vegetables, pulses, dairy, poultry, and fish that contribute to diversified diets and provide necessary vitamins, proteins, and minerals. These products are, however, generally more expensive, vulnerable to quality degradation, and face major safety risks. Moreover, large swathes of the population in LMIC are inclined to increase consumption of energy-dense processed foods readily available from fast-food chains, street vendors, and retail outlets. Malnutrition persists in many forms: in addition to undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, overweight and obesity lead to a rise in noncommunicable diseases.