This June 7th is World Food Safety Day, an international day that has been recognized since its inception in 2018. The theme for this year is “Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow,” but what exactly does that mean for the average person in 2021? According to the World Health Organization, “Recognizing the systemic connections between the health of people, animals, plants, the environment, and the economy will help us meet the needs of the future.” Not only is it beneficial for individuals to pay careful attention to the choices they’re making around eating nutritious, sustainable foods, but it has lasting effects on the health of the entire world too.

Health and Disease Linked to Food

Most companies and organizations focus on eating healthy foods as it relates to overall health and wellness, but eating safe food is equally as important. A common issue related to the consumption of food is, of course, foodborne illnesses. It’s important to note that sicknesses caused by improperly handled food, contaminated, or otherwise inedible foods making their way onto the plates across the globe have an outsized impact on small children and those in low-income communities. It’s important to keep the pressure on governments, food producers, and business operators to ensure that food is safe for consumption as it moves through the global supply chain.

Sustainability and Food

Sustainability in our food production is equally as significant a topic as food safety when it comes to the holistic health of policyholders. Pushing for more transparency in the way food is grown and harvested is essential to protecting the environment for our future selves. It also makes a difference in the present by ensuring that the food the average consumer eats is as nutritious as possible.

According to the UN, increasing access to food for food-insecure communities globally while simultaneously cutting back on over-processed foods in wealthier nations is the goal for the post-COVID world. They make the case that setting these priorities will “…reduce healthcare costs globally, reduce inequality, and help us weather the next pandemic with healthier individuals.”

Nutrition

Diet plays a crucial role in determining the Health Score of life and health insurance policyholders who use our Digital Health Engagement Platform (DHEP). Wheel of Life™ encourages users to engage daily with different aspects of their lives that contribute to their overall health and wellness. Every section of the Wheel allows users to manage goals and track habits, which contributes to their holistic Health Score.

The Wheel of Life™ includes an entire section dedicated to nutrition. Food is what fuels every other aspect of the Wheel. Without access to nutritious and safe food, policyholders won’t be able to exercise, sleep, or make the kinds of informed decisions about their daily lives necessary to remain healthy for years to come. Policyholders are able to track their healthy diet choices through Wheel of Life™, which empowers them to continue making positive decisions leading to a happy, healthy life.