Chapter 1 General Provisions
Article 1
This Act is enacted in order to establish a supportive environment for healthy diets, enhance public knowledge of nutrition and healthy diets, and improve people's health.
Article 2
The terms used in this Act are defined as follows:
1. Nutrition: refers to a physiological state in which the human body uses the nutritional components contained in food to carry out metabolism, regulate physiological functions, and grow and develop.
2. Nutritional components: refers to the nutrients in food that can be used as energy for human metabolism, promoting growth and development, and regulating physiological functions. They include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and other trace elements.
3. Malnutrition: refers to the lack, excess or imbalance of nutrients in the human body caused by unhealthy diet, leading to underweight or overweight, obesity, chronic diseases or other health problems.
4. Healthy diets: refers to diets that are capable of providing individuals with appropriate energy and balanced nutrition, and are prepared based on the principle of fresh, local, and diverse food ingredients.
5. Nutrition and dietary survey: refers to the collection and analysis of people’s dietary changes, nutritional status and other relevant information using various survey methods, as the evidence basis for formulating people’s nutritional requirements and related policies.
6. Nutrition standards and dietary reference intakes: refers to the standards for the general people’s diet and nutrient intake recommendation determined by scientific evidence-based methods based on nutrition surveys or related research, national health policies, people’s eating habits, gender, age, weight and other related factors.
Article 3
The competent authority referred to in this Act: at the central level, it is the Ministry of Health and Welfare; at the municipal level, it is the municipal government; at the county (city) level, it is the county (city) government.
Matters stipulated in this Act that relevant to authorities in the respective competent authorities shall be implemented by the respective competent authorities.
Article 4
The central competent authority is responsible for the following nutrition and healthy diet promotion matters:
1. Planning, establishment and promotion of policies and programs.
2. Supervision and coordination of implementation by municipal and county (city) competent authorities.
3. Planning of awards and counseling.
4. Planning and promotion of personnel training.
5. International exchanges and cooperation.
6. Other matters that shall be implemented by the central competent authority.
Article 5
Municipal and county (city) competent authorities are responsible for the following nutrition and healthy diet promotion matters within their jurisdiction:
1. Planning, establishment and execution of implementation projects and plans.
2. Establishment and implementation of awards and mentoring plans.
3. The establishment and implementation of personnel training.
4. Planning and provision of education promotion, referral services and resource network connections.
5. Other matters that shall be implemented by the municipal, county (city) competent authorities.
Article 6
Municipal and county (city) competent authorities may designate nutrition-related professional units or personnel to assist in work related to nutrition and healthy diet promotion in the community.
Article 7
The central competent authority shall convene a nutrition advisory meeting by inviting representatives of civil society, experts and scholars, food industry and agricultural industry representatives to consult on nutrition and healthy diet promotion policies, surveys, research and other related matters; the number of committee members of any gender shall not be less than one-third of the total.
The central competent authority shall adopt an appropriate citizen participation mechanism to solicit opinions and include them in discussions at nutrition advisory meetings.
Article 8
The competent authorities and the industry competent authority shall prepare budgets every year to carry out the promotion of programs related to nutrition and healthy diet and health education awareness programs.