Another meeting of the Parliamentary Team on Pro-Health Food and Nutrition was held in the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, dedicated to the role of nutritional education in shaping conscious health attitudes. The meeting was attended by representatives of ministries, regulatory institutions, the scientific community, as well as experts in public health, supplementation, and education.
The session was opened by the Chair of the Team, MP Katarzyna Stachowicz, together with Secretary Adam Gomoła. In her speech, she recalled the words of Hippocrates: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”, which became the symbolic motto of the meeting.
Right at the beginning of the proceedings, a voice was heard that gave the event a clear substantive structure. Dr. Joanna Uchańska, legal counsel from our Law Firm, opened the expert part by providing a concise summary of the previous meeting and introducing participants to the subject of pro-health food in the context of education. In her address, she highlighted five pillars on which a responsible approach to functional food should be based: law, quality, public health, economic condition, and—as a fundamental element—legislation. It was this last pillar, relating to systemic legal frameworks, that became the starting point for further reflection on the need for coherent and transparent regulations.
Dr. Uchańska also reminded that following the previous session, at the initiative of Chairwoman Katarzyna Stachowicz, two important parliamentary documents were submitted:
- Interpellation No. 9972 of May 22, 2025, addressed to the Ministry of Education, containing questions about the implementation of regulations concerning food in educational institutions, support for schools in conducting nutritional education, and possible programs directed at parents. In its response, the Ministry pointed, among other things, to the introduction, starting September 1, 2025, of a new, non-compulsory subject called “health education” in grades IV–VIII of primary schools as well as in secondary schools. The response also emphasized the importance of developing health literacy, which includes the ability to recognize health needs, monitor one’s own health status, and promote a healthy lifestyle.
- Inquiry No. 2494 of May 22, 2025, addressed to the Minister of Health, concerning the availability of epidemiological data, ongoing prevention programs, the costs of treating diet-related diseases, and planned strategic actions in the field of public health. In the response, it was indicated that diet-related diseases include, among others, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, obesity, and polycystic ovary syndrome. The Polish Society for the Treatment of Obesity, citing a report by the Supreme Audit Office (NIK), estimates that over 65% of Poles (approx. 24 million) are overweight, and nearly 30% (approx. 11 million) suffer from obesity.
In the next part of the session, experts from the Expert Council of the National Council of Supplements and Nutritional Products took the floor. Dr. Andrzej Balicki, legal counsel, discussed regulatory and informational challenges, pointing to the need for greater transparency and the implementation of a nutrivigilance system. Dr. Eng. Katarzyna Wolnicka presented an overview of effective nutritional education programs for children and adolescents, while Prof. Krzysztof Durkalec-Michalski, PhD, Eng., from the University of Physical Education, emphasized the importance of physical activity and responsible supplementation in the health prevention of the younger generation.
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An important contribution to the discussion came from Professor Jan Gąsiorek, PhD, who drew attention to the risks associated with the use of unverified dietary supplements of unknown origin and the negative effects of excessive screen time among children. He pointed to the need to focus educational efforts in smaller towns and emphasized the importance of the visual aspect of food products for the youngest consumers.
Dr. Tomasz Białas from IJHARS presented the role of labels as a source of consumer knowledge, while the Team Secretary, Adam Gomoła, provided information about the submitted interpellations to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Sport concerning the sustainability of pro-health programs.
In the open discussion, contributions were made, among others, by Dr. Ewa Butkiewicz, Alicja Buczek, Aleksandra Płońska from the Ministry of Health, Dorota Wojcieszek from the Ministry of National Education, Dr. Katarzyna Suchoszek – expert of the Expert Council of the National Council of Supplements and Nutritional Products, Prof. Katarzyna Stoś, Head of the Department of Nutrition and Food Nutritional Value at the National Institute of Public Health – National Hygiene Institute, and Prof. Iwona Wawer, who emphasized the role of pharmacists as health educators and “first-contact doctors.”
Materials and access to the recording
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The full recording of the meeting of the Parliamentary Team on Pro-Health Food and Nutrition held on September 11, 2025, is available at:
🔗 Video recording of the meeting – Parlamentarny Zespół ds. Żywności Prozdrowotnej i Żywienia – Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
All presentations, including the legal material by Dr. Joanna Uchańska titled “Pro-Health Food and Healthy Nutrition in Education”, are available for download on the Team’s website.
Our Commitment
As a Law Firm, we actively monitor all legislative activities and initiatives undertaken in Parliament in the areas of public health, pro-health food, and supplementation. We stay up to date with regulatory processes, analyze their impact on the market, and support our clients in adapting to the evolving legal landscape. Our involvement in the work of the Team is not merely observational—it represents a tangible contribution to shaping a safe and responsible market.