¶ … Health Organisation's Dietary Goals Diet is acknowledged to contribute in a significant manner as a risk factor for chronic diseases. The perceptible fact is that at the international level massive changes in dietary patterns has engulfed the globe since the second part of the twentieth century which started in the industrialized nations has of late spilled over to the developing nations. Conventional, mostly plant-based diets have been switched by high-fact, energy-dense diets having a greater percentage of animal-based foods. (WHO, 2003)

Critical Evaluation of WHO's Dietary Goals

As per WHO report, nutrition related factors comprise majority of the contributory factors of the overall burden of disease in Europe due to which lifestyle improvements play a larger role in treatment as well as prevention of these diseases. In cases where nations have attained target changes in eating patterns, the health enhancements are felt at a considerable and population-wide level. For instance changes in diet patterns in Western Europe since the last three decades like changing over to margarine from butter and low fat milk from whole fat milk have contributed to lowering of 2% on an annualized basis in cardiovascular mortality rates. Towards a better dietary goal, four important nutrients have been selected for benchmarking. These are sodium, sugar, and of late trans fat...

(Roodenburg; Feunekes; Leenen; Ramsay, 2008, p. 166)
These have been selected primarily since they have been recognized by the global dietary authorities as vital targets for global reduction as per WHO report. Noticeable lowering in the quantities of these specific nutrients might have a perceptible unforeseen effect on public health improvements. It is important to note that energy as a yardstick has not been included in the benchmarking system despite the presence of views in the weight of energy density or energy levels in beverages. Perhaps, the primary factor for this is that the energy consumption and energy requirements differ a great deal between individuals, the most important being energy densities which is calories per volume that differ between foods. Interestingly, there is no global or truly local standard fixed by any regulatory authority for portion size which WHO must intervene and set standards. (Roodenburg; Feunekes; Leenen; Ramsay, 2008, p. 167)

However, the specific benchmark levels of the four nutrients are consequential from a calorie-based translation of international and well as national dietary recommendations considering an average daily energy consumption of 2250 kcal which is an international average for adult energy consumption. The WHO recommendation was chosen to supply…