National nutrition council - Guardian of public nutrition
The National Nutrition Council of Finland has already since 1954 monitored the nutrition and health of Finnish people and issued nutritional recommendations aimed at improving their status. Initially the Council focused on eliminating nutritional deficiencies. Examples of these activities include the addition of iodine in salt to fight the goitre epidemic and the addition of vitamins A and D in margarines to prevent night blindness and rickets. In the recent decades the major challenge has changed into reducing health problems caused rather by the overabundant consumption of food or food of the wrong type. The greatest challenges in national health are at the moment associated with the prevalence of overweight and type 2 diabetes in both adults and children of ever younger age. The prevention of cardiovascular diseases through nutritional means is also still one of the most important objectives.
The National Nutrition Council is an expert body appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The Council members are nominated by ministries, universities, public health and food authorities, research centers and independent stakeholders.
The term of office of the current Council is 9.11.2020 - 8.11.2023.
The tasks of the National Nutrition Council are defined in the Food Act.