Healthy Diets – How to Measure Dietary Quality?

As food systems evolve, and diets shift globally—across all demographics—monitoring dietary intake at national, regional, and global levels is increasingly vital. Tracking consumption patterns supports governments in shaping policies and programs that promote sustainable, healthy diets and evaluate their effectiveness. Early March 2025 the Minimum Dietary Diversity indicator was adopted by UN Statistical Commission. It captures a crucial aspect previously lacking in tracking progress toward ending malnutrition and achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and the broader 2030 Agenda. The new MDD indicator will be measured for two population groups: children and women of reproductive age, designated “MDD-C” and “MDD-W.

This N4G side event titled “Healthy Diets – How to measure Dietary Quality?” goes beyond measuring MDD and seeks to address challenges related to monitoring of dietary quality, focusing on governments and organisations’ experiences and on innovative approaches and tools for tracking results on healthy diets, sharing best practices, implications for policies and programmes and discussing the best way forward.

The objectives of this side event are to:

1. Highlight global perspectives on monitoring SDG 2 and the evolution of healthy diet metrics.
2. Present the current status and future developments of the MDD-W/MDD-C indicators.
3. Showcase innovative solutions and tools for tracking sustainable healthy diets.
4. Facilitate a dialogue on practical program implications and share country experiences.
5. Build consensus on action steps to scale up monitoring of dietary quality.

Participants can expect to gain:

• An improved understanding of the importance of monitoring sustainable healthy diets.
• Knowledge of innovative tools and methodologies to support monitoring efforts.
• Enhanced networking opportunities with stakeholders and potential partners.
• A shared understanding of best practices and policy/programming implications.