On February 21st, 2014, the Chinese Nutrition Society (CNS) launched the amendment of Chinese Dietary Guideline in Beijing. The launch meeting was hosted by Ma Guansheng, the Vice President of CNS and Deputy Director of National Institute for Nutrition and Health Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDCP). Yang Yuexin the President of CNS, and other related government officials participated the opening ceremony and made speeches.

Over 40 related government departments participated in the launch meeting, including National Health and Family Planning Commission, Ministry of Agriculture, General Administration of Sport, China Association for Science and Technology, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment. There were also more than 150 representatives from industry associations, international health organizations, FAO, and UNICEF present at the launching.

Government officials and industry professionals made speeches and supported the amendment of Chinese Dietary Guideline, and pointed out the necessity of revision. Yang Yuexin, President of CNS, spoke on the opening ceremony. To quote her speech, “it is the 3rd edition of the Chinese Dietary Guideline for our country; the last version was published in January 2008. This edition will be based on scientific evidence and collaborating the scientific findings in recent years. It will the fundamental tool to improve people’s health, set dietary standards, and promote the development of nutrition-related policies. Ms. Yang also introduced the history of Chinese Dietary Guidelines and its implications in changes of people’s dietary pattern and health condition, including:

1.Decrease in the consumption of animal-based fat and saturated fat;
2.Decrease in the consumption of salt
3.Continuing adequate consumption of vegetables and fruits;
4.Slight increase in consumption of eggs and seafood;
5.Improvement in child and youth body development;
6.Decreased rate of malnutrition in preschoolers;
7.Decreased rate of anemia;
8.Significant decrease in the rate of low birth weight;
9.Significant increase in average physical activity level;
10.Significant increase in dietary and nutrition awareness.

Professor Ma Guansheng pointed out the challenges faced by nutritionists, which are unbalanced diet, the prevalence of malnutrition and nutrition deficiencies in rural areas, high rate of anemia during pregnancy and childhood, dominance of unhealthy life style, and the health impact of obesity and diet-induced chronic disease on urban residents.

Yang Xiaoguang, Researcher and Executive Director of CNS Academic Exchanges Working Committee, compared and contrasted different dietary guidelines from European and other Asian countries in his speech. He used the USA Food Guide as an example to demonstrate the changes on foreign dietary guidelines. Other countries, such as Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka and India, have created their dietary guidelines in accordance with their own culture and diet habit. Dietary guidelines in developing countries were created later than those in developed countries.

In order to adapt to the current trends, improve dietary patterns, promote health and prevent diseases, the new edition of the Chinese Dietary Guideline will play a vital role in people’s daily life. CNS will follow the guidance of the government and collaborate multi-disciplinary evidences to implement the amendment work. The launching meeting encouraged all nutrition practitioners to take part in the amendment and set a concrete base for the China Dream.