S'pore wins WHO Healthy Cities award for Nutri-Grade labels
Singapore has received an award from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for its Nutri-Grade labelling scheme, which grades drinks based on their sugar and saturated fat content.
The Republic was one of eight cities across Asia conferred the 2024 WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Awards for “exceptional achievements (in) promoting health and well-being”.
The Nutri-Grade scheme was cited in the category “Transforming Food Environments for Healthy Diets and Optimal Nutrition” as an example of “how actions from cities can help to shape food environments in ways that improve public health”.
The WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, which includes countries such as China, Australia and the Pacific island states, described Singapore’s efforts as “comprehensive and forward-thinking”.
“The selection committee recognised the effectiveness of Singapore’s initiative in driving behaviour change at multiple levels – by providing transparent information directly to consumers and by creating a regulatory environment that motivates industry reformulation to reduce the sugar content of drinks,” said a WHO spokesperson.
A key strength of the policy is the ability to expand to other ingredients, such as sodium, the spokesperson added. This has the potential to “further encourage industry reformulation and reduce the influence of marketing on consumer preferences”, including that of children.
Introduced in 2022, the Nutri-Grade label is mandatory on both pre-packaged and freshly prepared beverages. Drinks with less sugar content and which are lower in saturated fat are graded A and B, with drinks that exceed a sweetness threshold graded C and D.
Advertising is banned on all media platforms for beverages with a D grading.
A study by the Duke-NUS Medical School, published by the International Journal Of Behavioural Nutrition And Physical Activity in February 2023, suggested the Nutri-Grade scheme was likely to encourage consumers to opt for drinks with lower sugar content.
The Nutri-Grade label will also soon be extended to items such as pre-packed salt, sauces and seasonings, instant noodles and cooking oil, so as to encourage less sodium consumption.
The WHO recognition “underscores the significance of our public health strategies in shaping the environment to improve the health of our population”, said Health Promotion Board chief executive officer Tay Choon Hong.
“We have seen a shift in consumers’ preferences towards healthier choices, and industry reformulation efforts that have reduced the median sugar level in beverages in the last few years. We will continue with efforts to increase the availability of healthier options, while supporting Singaporeans in making more informed, healthier choices,” he added.
The WHO awards were presented during the 10th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities, held from Sept 25 to Sept 27 in Seoul.
Other cities that received the awards were Carmona in the Philippines, which was recognised for its tobacco control measures that focused on protecting children and young people; and Owariasahi in Japan, which was commended for its comprehensive approach to traffic safety which has led to a significant reduction in deaths from road traffic crashes.
Winning the WHO Regional Director’s Special Award was Pasig, part of metropolitan Manila in the Philippines.
Pasig, an early adopter of WHO’s Urban Governance for Health and Well-being initiative, was recognised for its long track record of implementing healthy cities activities.
Reforestation efforts as well as initiatives such as the establishment of bike lanes and a bike-sharing programme have allowed Pasig to improve its climate resilience and urban mobility, WHO noted.
WHO said that 58 per cent of the population in its Western Pacific region, or about 1.1 billion people, now live in cities, with the rapid pace of urbanisation presenting “both opportunities and challenges for public health”.
“As cities continue to grow, we must ensure that no one is left behind,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO’s regional director for the Western Pacific.
“Healthy cities are for everyone. They should provide opportunities for all citizens to live healthier, more fulfilling lives, regardless of their background or circumstances,” he added.
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