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WHO Diet Recommendations
General health information, not medical advice. This article does not diagnose anything and does not replace seeing a qualified doctor. If your symptoms are severe, persistent, or getting worse, see a clinician.
The World Health Organization (WHO) offers evidence-based dietary guidelines aimed at preventing malnutrition and lowering the risk of noncommunicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. These guidelines are intended for adults and children over 2 years of age, with tailored advice for infants and young children.
Core Recommendations for a Healthy Diet
- Eat a Variety of Foods: Include fruits, vegetables, legumes (e.g., lentils and beans), nuts, and whole grains (e.g., unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat, and brown rice).
- Fruits & Vegetables: Consume at least 400 grams (≈5 portions) daily, excluding starchy roots like potatoes and cassava.
- Balance Energy Intake and Expenditure: Align calorie intake with energy needs to maintain a healthy body weight.
- Carbohydrates: Should provide 40–70% of total energy, mainly from legumes and wholegrain cereals, preferably minimally processed.
- Fats:
- Total fat <30% of total energy intake.
- Favor unsaturated fats (fish, avocado, nuts, vegetable oils).
- Limit saturated fat to <10% and trans-fats to <1% of energy intake.
- Avoid industrially-produced trans-fats entirely.
- Sugars:
- Free sugars <10% of total energy intake (ideally <5%).
- Includes added sugars and those in honey, syrups, fruit juices, and concentrates.
- Salt:
- Limit intake to <5 grams/day (≈1 teaspoon).
- Use iodized salt for adequate iodine.
- Protein: Ensure adequate intake through diverse sources like legumes, nuts, fish, eggs, dairy, and lean meats.
Additional Guidance
- Fluids: Drink plenty of water. Tea and coffee are acceptable with little or no sugar. Limit dairy to 1–2 servings/day and juice to one small glass/day. Avoid sugary drinks.
- Special Populations: Infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months, continuing breastfeeding with complementary foods up to 2 years or more.
- Food Environment: WHO recommends supportive policies like nutrition labeling, restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods to children, and healthy public food procurement standards.
Summary Table of Key WHO Recommendations
- Fruits & Vegetables: ≥400 g/day (≈5 portions)
- Total Fat: <30% of total energy intake
- Saturated Fat: <10% of total energy intake