Interventions to promote healthy eating: a systematic review of regulatory approaches
Dr. Vivien Hendry (CEDAR)
15.00, Tuesday 9 July. Millennium Lounge, level 5
Introduction
Multifactorial strategies aim to reduce the 40% excess cardiovascular and cancer mortality across the United Kingdom associated with unhealthy diets. We systematically reviewed regulatory interventions to change dietary behaviour or nutrition.
Methods
We identified regulations, rules and legislation (collectively, “regulation”) seeking to directly alter diet, dietary behaviour or nutrition by influencing (a) dietary behaviour through regulating labelling, calorie display, marketing, food in schools, built environments, or financial incentives or (b) the nutritional content of food such as trans fats. The evaluation comprises a scoping review of regulatory interventions, and in-depth reviews on (1) trans fat controls and (2) school-based fruit and vegetable schemes.
Results
Searches identified 80 eligible studies. Studies of information labels (packaging or menus) and compliance with school food standards occurred most frequently. Thirteen studies examined trans fat controls through bans or labelling, which achieved good compliance. Six studies of school-based fruit and vegetables provided weak evidence of short-term increases in intake.
Conclusions
Regulations with monitoring achieve compliance. Whether this affects dietary behaviour, nutrition, obesity prevalence or other health outcomes is unclear since those impacts are under-evaluated. Understanding the effectiveness and costs of regulatory interventions will highlight where government-led action may be effective in promoting healthy diets.
Multifactorial strategies aim to reduce the 40% excess cardiovascular and cancer mortality across the United Kingdom associated with unhealthy diets. We systematically reviewed regulatory interventions to change dietary behaviour or nutrition.
Methods
We identified regulations, rules and legislation (collectively, “regulation”) seeking to directly alter diet, dietary behaviour or nutrition by influencing (a) dietary behaviour through regulating labelling, calorie display, marketing, food in schools, built environments, or financial incentives or (b) the nutritional content of food such as trans fats. The evaluation comprises a scoping review of regulatory interventions, and in-depth reviews on (1) trans fat controls and (2) school-based fruit and vegetable schemes.
Results
Searches identified 80 eligible studies. Studies of information labels (packaging or menus) and compliance with school food standards occurred most frequently. Thirteen studies examined trans fat controls through bans or labelling, which achieved good compliance. Six studies of school-based fruit and vegetables provided weak evidence of short-term increases in intake.
Conclusions
Regulations with monitoring achieve compliance. Whether this affects dietary behaviour, nutrition, obesity prevalence or other health outcomes is unclear since those impacts are under-evaluated. Understanding the effectiveness and costs of regulatory interventions will highlight where government-led action may be effective in promoting healthy diets.