The Federal Government ensures the flow of necessary information and advice by supporting important consumer information institutions such as the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Emahrung (DGE; German Nutrition Society), the Auswertungs- und Informationsdienst fur Ernahrung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten (AID; Food, Agriculture and Forestry Information Service), as well as the consumer information centers in the individual federal states. They furnish information on proper nutrition, product quality and prices, the law relating to food and drugs, and storage of private stocks of food.

Another important source of nutritional advice and information are the reports prepared every four years by the DGE on behalf of the Federal Government (most recently in 1996). These give a comprehensive picture of the nutritional situation in Germany. According to the most recent report, the nutritional situation has improved. The main problem affecting the health of Germany’s population, however, continues to be poor eating habits (overeating and an unbalanced diet).