Starting October 22 and for one month, Santé publique France’s new dietary recommendations for adults¹ are the focus of a national information campaign encouraging the French public to change their habits step by step, without giving up the pleasure of eating. Among these new recommendations, two are highlighted: increasing consumption of legumes and opting for whole-grain starchy foods. Based on scientific data, the new recommendations—updated in January—aim to guide the French toward a more balanced diet and lifestyle. Indeed, in France, the nutritional situation is marked by significant social disparities, and nearly half of adults are overweight, 17% of whom are obese.

An information campaign to gradually change eating habits

On October 22, Santé publique France launched its national campaign to raise awareness of the new dietary recommendations, updated this past January. It aligns with the focus of the PNNS4, which aims to encourage health-promoting behaviors. Running for one month on television, social media, and the mangerbouger.fr website, the campaign encourages the French public to gradually change their habits and promotes a healthy diet that is easy to adopt without sacrificing the pleasure of eating. The slogan invites viewers and internet users to: “Start by improving a dish you already love.” And to help them incorporate the new recommendations into their daily menus, the mangerbouger.fr website offers recipe ideas and simple tips. Finally, for healthcare professionals, a poster and a dedicated section on the mangerbouger.fr/pro website detail the new recommendations while providing advice on how to discuss them with patients.

Simple recommendations, accessible to everyone

The campaign highlights two categories of foods that are particularly beneficial due to their nutritional qualities and affordability: legumes and whole-grain starchy foods (whole-grain or multigrain bread, whole-grain pasta and semolina, etc.). Despite their benefits, they are not consumed enough by the French: 60% of adults do not eat whole-grain products, and 85% do not meet the recommendation for legumes, which is to consume them twice a week².

A Balanced Diet: A Major Public Health Issue

Developed by Santé publique France based on research by ANSES and the HCSP, the new recommendations on diet, physical activity, and sedentary behavior take into account the evolution of scientific data over the past decade. Their goal is to help the French population change their eating habits for the sake of their health and adopt a more active lifestyle. The stakes are high, because while France is relatively well-positioned in terms of nutrition compared to other European countries, the situation remains fragile, with persistent social inequalities in health. In France, according to the Esteban study, 32% of adults are overweight and 17% are obese³.