Transforming the Global Food System for Human Health and Resilience

The report identifies a critical gap between lifespan and healthspan, noting that poor diets cause 17 million deaths annually—more than double the total COVID-19 deaths. It argues that the current food system, dominated by industrial monocropping and ultra-processed foods, creates significant 'hidden costs' totaling nearly $20 trillion. To address this, the report proposes five strategic levers: diversifying crop production, reformulating processed foods, improving affordability, optimizing retail environments, and strengthening the consumer connection to health. It concludes by launching two action platforms: Portfolio Innovation and Measurement, and Frontier Business Models, the latter focusing on 'food-as-medicine' interventions.

• Poor nutrition is a more significant cause of death than the COVID-19 pandemic, with approximately 17 million annual deaths attributed to poor diets compared to 7 million total deaths from COVID-19.
• The global food system generates massive externalities, with hidden costs to human life, the economy, and the environment estimated at nearly $20 trillion, which is more than double the direct cost of global food consumption.
• Agriculture is a major driver of climate change and environmental degradation, contributing between 25% and 42% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, with ruminant animals accounting for about half of that amount.
• The world faces a 'double burden' of malnutrition where undernutrition and obesity coexist; notably, 62% of the global obese population now resides in developing countries.
• Industrial food production is overly reliant on a few crops; four species—corn, wheat, soybeans, and rice—provide over half of all calories consumed worldwide, contributing to micronutrient deficiencies in at least half of children under five.
• Ultra-processed foods are pervasive in the global diet, constituting roughly 40% of calories consumed globally and over 50% in developed countries.
• Healthy diets are often unaffordable; in 2021, approximately 3.14 billion people (42% of the global population) could not afford a healthy diet.
• The 'food swamp' phenomenon—an overrepresentation of unhealthy fast-food options—is a stronger predictor of obesity rates than the absence of grocery stores (food deserts).
• The report proposes a 'food-as-medicine' approach to integrate nutrition into healthcare systems, noting that poor diet drives 85% of US healthcare costs as of 2020.

APA

World Economic Forum (2023). Transforming the Global Food System for Human Health and Resilience. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_New_Frontiers_of_Nutrition_2023.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Transforming the Global Food System for Human Health and Resilience. 2023. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_New_Frontiers_of_Nutrition_2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Transforming the Global Food System for Human Health and Resilience |date=December 2023 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_New_Frontiers_of_Nutrition_2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2023transforming, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Transforming the Global Food System for Human Health and Resilience}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = dec, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_New_Frontiers_of_Nutrition_2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }