However, obesity and overweight continue to rise, reporting 35% and 71% of people over 18 years of age, respectively. These conditions are the main causes of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer, said the text.

For this reason, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) prioritizes the transformation of food systems to provide healthy diets and meet the needs of the population.

In this regard, a strong articulation between intersectoral policies is necessary to develop more sustainable and sensitive value chains, which currently promote spaces for talks with a view to the Food Systems Summit, slated for coming September.

Julio Calderón, FAO Director in Panama, explained that in the first meeting participants exchanged experiences and views generating measures to reduce or compensate for negative impacts on food chain.

Regarding this initiative, FAO Coordinator for Mesoamerica Adoniram Sanches assured that it is an opportunity to explore and collectively move on more sustainable and equitable food systems.

ef/pll/ga/npg