Overview:
Palau launched updated National Nutrition Guidelines during its Oct. 16 World Food Day celebration, offering locally tailored advice on healthy eating, food labels and preventing noncommunicable diseases. Separate guidelines for school-age children and younger children are also in development.
By: L.N. Reklai
KOROR, Palau (Oct. 16, 2026) — Palau launched its updated National Nutrition Guidelines on Oct. 16 during the country’s World Food Day celebration at the Bureau of Agriculture in Ngchesar, promoting healthier eating habits and helping communities prevent noncommunicable diseases.
The launch supports the goals of World Food Day, observed annually to raise awareness about hunger, malnutrition and poverty, while promoting sustainable and resilient food systems that can provide safe, diverse and nutritious food for everyone.
This year’s theme, “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow,” highlights the importance of combining innovation, including data and technology, with traditional knowledge to improve food security and nutrition while protecting the planet.
Verna Kyota, diabetes coordinator under the Ministry of Health and Human Services’ Bureau of Public Health, said the updated guidelines are intended to help people make healthier food choices and reduce their risk of noncommunicable diseases.
“It’s a guideline for community people, those who want to lead healthy lives and prevent non-communicable diseases,” Kyota said.
The guidelines are designed for the general population and can also be used in community health programs. Kyota said one example is the use of the guidelines by recipients of Non-Communicable Disease grants to guide their programs and promote healthier lifestyles.
Nutrition guidance designed for Palau
The National Nutrition Guidelines follow the principles of a healthy food group guide but are tailored to Palau’s food supply and local eating habits.
Instead of the familiar food pyramid, the guidelines use a taro leaf to illustrate healthy food portions, reflecting a familiar local plant while providing practical guidance on balanced eating.
The guidelines also emphasize understanding food labels so consumers can make more informed decisions when purchasing packaged foods. Key areas include reading nutrition facts, checking serving sizes and understanding the number of servings in a package or container.
By providing practical information about balanced diets and food choices, the guidelines aim to help individuals and communities improve their health through everyday decisions.
Guidelines for children are in development
The government is also developing age-specific nutrition guidance to support children’s health.
Kyota said a separate set of nutrition guidelines for school-age children, from ages 5 to 18, is being finalized, with a launch expected by the end of this year.
Work is also underway on nutrition guidelines for children from birth to age 4, which officials hope to launch next year.
For the school-age guidelines, the initial focus will be on public schools. Kyota said the program will include training school cooks to apply the nutrition recommendations when preparing meals for students.
“Then after that, we hope to push it to private schools,” Kyota added.
The planned school-based effort would extend nutrition education beyond individual households and help schools reinforce healthy eating habits among children.
World Food Day: Building healthier and more sustainable food systems
World Food Day promotes awareness and action on hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity, while encouraging communities to help build food systems that are sustainable and resilient.
People can support these goals by buying food from local farmers and cooperatives, reducing food waste through meal planning and proper food storage, sharing information about balanced diets and sustainable agriculture, and supporting food banks and other organizations assisting people facing food insecurity.
Palau’s updated National Nutrition Guidelines contribute to these efforts by providing locally relevant information to help people understand nutrition, make healthier food choices and prevent diet-related diseases.