Abstract In 2013 the WHO concluded that 40 million people die annually from noncommunicable diseases, a staggering 70% of the total number of deaths worldwide. These include stroke cancer, diabetes, heart disease and lung disease, which are caused by the use of tobacco and alcohol, physical inactivity and unhealthy diets. These diseases can be prevented by the reduction of the risk factors. In simpler terms, humans just have to eat better, stay active and not engage with drugs. The focus of this thesis shall be on unhealthy diets and the diseases that arise from them will be discussed. In the current era individual needs are often traded for the interests of large enterprises which are focusing on making profits. This may cause problems to or even a collapse of the health care system at a worldwide level. In 2016 the WTO had accounted 460 notifications of Regional Trade Agreements, of which 267 were in force — their purpose being to liberalize trade. The impact that trade liberalization has on multiple aspects of life is often not fully taken into account. Moreover, the negative impact that these agreements have on human health, by allowing the proliferation of unhealthy foods, is capable of outweighing the profits obtained through trade based on the law of comparative advantage. A possible way to deal with this issue is to address its root cause, namely unhealthy foods. Certain measures, such as improving the access to medication that would allow better treatment of these ailments would not solve the core issue so curative actions will not be debated herein, but solely preventive measures instead. Against the backdrop of governments being responsible for their citizens, which is why it is imperious that they start taking action to put a halt to the development of these diseases. This can be achieved with recourse to Article XX(b) of The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (since the rights to food, health and life are at stake) which would allow governments to pursue a mitigated approach when in the pursuit of trade liberalization, aiming at health improvements in regard to food, without breaching any of the obligations laid down in the trade agreements and their related schedules of concessions. International trade is recognized as a means for achieving development, it is an instrument and not an end itself, hence why all the processes surrounding it should be of relevance. Keywords: Health, Nutrition, Trade, Tariffs.