The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning over the deadly toll of unhealthy diets, urging global leaders to enact sweeping reforms in the way food is produced, marketed, and consumed.
In a public statement released this week, the WHO chief revealed that poor nutrition is now one of the world’s leading killers, contributing to an estimated 8 million deaths annually.
He placed much of the blame on modern food systems that are increasingly dominated by ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks, aggressively marketed even in vulnerable communities.
“Transforming the world’s food systems requires more than goodwill,” the Director-General said.
“It demands strong political commitment, cross-sectoral collaboration, and accountability from the private sector.”
Public health experts have long warned that current global food supply chains prioritize profit over public health, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Markets in these regions are increasingly flooded with cheap, calorie-dense products high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats–products that are often targeted toward children and low-income families through manipulative advertising.
The WHO is now calling on governments to implement tighter regulations on food marketing, especially to children, and to provide incentives for the production and accessibility of healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
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In addition, the organization is urging the food and beverage industry to reformulate harmful products, improve front-of-package labeling, and end misleading health claims that confuse consumers.
“With millions of lives at stake, we cannot afford to delay,” the Director-General stressed.
“Every government, every business, and every consumer has a role to play in reshaping the future of food.”
The WHO’s renewed urgency comes amid growing global concern over diet-related illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers, which are now outpacing infectious diseases as the top causes of premature death worldwide.
Health advocates have welcomed the WHO’s strong stance, calling it a necessary step to challenge powerful food lobbies and reorient global nutrition toward sustainability and equity.
“Food should nourish, not harm,” one global nutrition researcher said.
“This is a public health emergency that demands the same level of global attention as climate change or pandemics.”
The WHO is expected to work with member states over the coming year to set clear benchmarks for food reform, including mandatory front-of-pack warnings, advertising bans during children’s programming, and fiscal policies such as taxes on sugary beverages and subsidies for healthier alternatives.