Policies to promote healthy eating in Europe: a structured review of policies and their effectiveness

Capacci, Sara; Mazzocchi, Mario; Brambila-Macias, Jose; Shankar, Bhavani; Traill, Bruce; Perez-Cueto, Armando; Verbeke, Wim; Niedźwiedzka, Barbara; Koziol-Kozakowska, Agnieszka; Kijowska, Viola; Piorecka, Beata; D'Addesa, Dina; Saba, Anna; Turrini, Aida; Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica; Bech-Larsen, Tino; Strand, Mathias; Smillie, Laura; Wills, Josephine

Abstract

This review provides a classification of public policies to promote healthier eating as well as a structured mapping of existing measures in Europe. Complete coverage of alternative policy types was ensured by complementing the review with a selection of major interventions from outside Europe. Under the auspices of the Seventh Framework Programme's Eatwell Project, funded by the European Commission, researchers from five countries reviewed a representative selection of policy actions based on scientific papers, policy documents, grey literature, government websites, other policy reviews, and interviews with policy-makers. This work resulted in a list of 129 policy interventions, 121 of which were in Europe. For each type of policy, a critical review of its effectiveness was conducted, based on the evidence currently available. The results of this review indicate a need exists for a more systematic and accurate evaluation of government-level interventions as well as for a stronger focus on actual behavioral change rather than changes in attitude or intentions alone. The currently available evidence is very heterogeneous across policy types and is often incomplete.

Citation

Capacci, S., Mazzocchi, M., Brambila-Macias, J., Shankar, B., Traill, B., Perez-Cueto, A., Verbeke, W., Niedźwiedzka, B., Koziol-Kozakowska, A., Kijowska, V., Piorecka, B., D'Addesa, D., Saba, A., Turrini, A., Aschemann-Witzel, J., Bech-Larsen, T., Strand, M., Smillie, L., & Wills, J. (2012). Policies to promote healthy eating in Europe: a structured review of policies and their effectiveness. Nutrition Reviews, 70(3), 188-200. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00442.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2012
• Deposit Date: Nov 25, 2011
• Journal: Nutrition Reviews
• Print ISSN: 0029-6643
• Electronic ISSN: 1753-4887
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 70
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 188-200
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00442.x