Science & Technology in childhood Obesity Policy - Report on Food-EPI implementation in selected EU countries

Vandevijvere, Stefanie; Pineda, Ana

doi:https://doi.org/10.25561/109830

OA Location

https://www.stopchildobesity.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/STOP_D4.4_Report-on-Food-EPI-implementation-in-selected-EU-countries.pdf

Author(s)

Vandevijvere, Stefanie

Pineda, Ana

Type

Report

Abstract

This STOP deliverable (D4.4) reports on Food-EPI implementation in selected EU countries. The deliverable is for task 4.5: Assessment of government fiscal and regulatory policy implementation in comparison with international best practice. This task is based on the INFORMAS framework using the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI), aimed at assessing the extent of government policy implementation on food environments in comparison with international best practice. The Food-EPI tool was adapted specifically for the European context with the support of the STOP network of national public health agencies. Food environments have been recognised as highly influential on dietary behaviours. They represent the link between the food system and the population as the physical, economic, policy, and sociocultural surroundings, opportunities and conditions that influence people’s food choices and nutritional status. Government policies have the potential to create healthy food environments to support the promotion of healthy diets. This study aimed to evaluate food environment policies in a selection of European Union (EU) countries (N=6) and to prioritise actions to create healthy food environments. The Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI), developed by the International Network for Food and Obesity, NCDs Research Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS) was adapted to the EU context and used to evaluate the level of food environment policy implementation compared to best practice in Estonia, Finland, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain in 2020-21. Evidence on the extent of implementation of all good practice food environment related policies, as well as infrastructure support for policy development and implementation was compiled in each country and validated by government officials. National experts were asked to evaluate the level of implementation for the good practice policies and infrastructure support indicators at the national level, compared to international best practices. Workshops were then convened to identify actions and prioritise those according to importance and achievability criteria. Finland and Portugal had the highest proportion of policies on food environments (32% and 29% respectively) rated at the level of international best practice. Slovenia, Spain, and Estonia had the highest proportion of policies rated at very little if any implementation (42%, 25% and 21% respectively). Food retail, labelling, prices and marketing policies, funding, platforms for interaction, and health in all policies, were identified by experts as the most important gaps across the EU countries. Experts recommended immediate action to implement standards for nutrients of concern in processed foods, improve school food environments, provide subsidies for fresh fruit and vegetables, unhealthy foods and beverages taxation, and regulate unhealthy food marketing to children. There is vast potential in EU countries to improve policies and infrastructure support to create healthy food environments, and thus immediate action on this is urgently required to help address the burden of obesity and NCDs in EU countries.