SHAPE Asia on VOI Talk: Advancing Healthier Food Environments in Asia
SHAPE Asia on VOI Talk: Advancing Healthier Food Environments in Asia
On the occasion of National Nutrition Day 2026, SHAPE Asia was featured in a special edition of Voice of Indonesia (VOI Talk), bringing regional perspectives to a global audience under the theme “Food for Thought: Nourishing Asia Responsibly.” Featuring Elaine Borazon, Project Lead of SHAPE Asia and Associate Professor at National Sun Yat-sen University, alongside Avita Usfar, Indonesia Lead of SHAPE Asia from Reconstra, the discussion offered more than a general reflection on nutrition. It surfaced a structural critique of how food environments across Asia are being shaped, and why current responses remain insufficient.
The discussion highlighted Asia’s intensifying double burden of malnutrition, where undernutrition continues alongside a sharp rise in overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases. As emphasized in the dialogue, these trends are closely linked to the commercialization of food systems and the growing dominance of ultra-processed foods.
“Food environments increasingly promote energy-dense foods through modern retail expansion and aggressive marketing.”
In such contexts, food choices are shaped not only by individual preferences but by what is made visible, affordable, and socially desirable. This reinforces the limits of relying solely on individual behavior change when structural conditions systematically promote unhealthy diets.
The conversation also underscored that nutrition is a foundational issue for human development and long-term societal well-being. Poor diets are now among the leading global risk factors for disease and premature mortality, with significant implications for productivity and health systems.
“Investing in adequate nutrition is not only a health imperative, but a long-term economic and social investment.”
At the policy level, fragmented responses across the region continue to constrain effective action. SHAPE Asia addresses this gap by strengthening regional collaboration, consolidating evidence, and advancing coordinated policy engagement. The role of youth was also emphasized as both highly exposed to food marketing and critical to shaping future food systems.
“Youth are not only vulnerable to unhealthy food norms, but powerful agents of transformation.”
Drawing on Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meal Program, the discussion further illustrated both the potential and the complexity of large-scale nutrition initiatives. While such programs can advance equity and human capital development, their effectiveness depends on strong implementation systems, including food safety, coordination, and community engagement.
Ultimately, the VOI Talk reinforced a central message that transforming food environments in Asia requires collective responsibility across sectors.
“Healthy and sustainable diets are not produced by individual choice alone, but by collective decisions embedded in policies, institutions, and markets.”
To explore the full discussion, watch the VOI Talk on YouTube: https://youtu.be/THyxaGPubgM
On the occasion of National Nutrition Day 2026, SHAPE Asia was featured in a special edition of Voice of Indonesia (VOI Talk), bringing regional perspectives to a global audience under the theme “Food for Thought: Nourishing Asia Responsibly.” Featuring Elaine Borazon, Project Lead of SHAPE Asia and Associate Professor at National Sun Yat-sen University, alongside Avita Usfar, Indonesia Lead of SHAPE Asia from Reconstra, the discussion offered more than a general reflection on nutrition. It surfaced a structural critique of how food environments across Asia are being shaped, and why current responses remain insufficient.
The discussion highlighted Asia’s intensifying double burden of malnutrition, where undernutrition continues alongside a sharp rise in overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases. As emphasized in the dialogue, these trends are closely linked to the commercialization of food systems and the growing dominance of ultra-processed foods.
“Food environments increasingly promote energy-dense foods through modern retail expansion and aggressive marketing.”
In such contexts, food choices are shaped not only by individual preferences but by what is made visible, affordable, and socially desirable. This reinforces the limits of relying solely on individual behavior change when structural conditions systematically promote unhealthy diets.
The conversation also underscored that nutrition is a foundational issue for human development and long-term societal well-being. Poor diets are now among the leading global risk factors for disease and premature mortality, with significant implications for productivity and health systems.
“Investing in adequate nutrition is not only a health imperative, but a long-term economic and social investment.”
At the policy level, fragmented responses across the region continue to constrain effective action. SHAPE Asia addresses this gap by strengthening regional collaboration, consolidating evidence, and advancing coordinated policy engagement. The role of youth was also emphasized as both highly exposed to food marketing and critical to shaping future food systems.
“Youth are not only vulnerable to unhealthy food norms, but powerful agents of transformation.”
Drawing on Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meal Program, the discussion further illustrated both the potential and the complexity of large-scale nutrition initiatives. While such programs can advance equity and human capital development, their effectiveness depends on strong implementation systems, including food safety, coordination, and community engagement.
Ultimately, the VOI Talk reinforced a central message that transforming food environments in Asia requires collective responsibility across sectors.
“Healthy and sustainable diets are not produced by individual choice alone, but by collective decisions embedded in policies, institutions, and markets.”
To explore the full discussion, watch the VOI Talk on YouTube: https://youtu.be/THyxaGPubgM
