Russell C, Baker P, Grimes C, Lawrence MA. What are the benefits and risks of nutrition policy actions to reduce added sugar consumption? An Australian case study.
Public Health Nutr 2022;
25:1-18. [PMID:
35067254 PMCID:
PMC9991626 DOI:
10.1017/s1368980022000234]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to critically analyse Australia's current and proposed policy actions to reduce added sugar consumption. Over-consumption of added sugar is a significant public health nutrition issue. The competing interests, values and beliefs among stakeholders mean they have disparate views regarding which policy actions are preferable to reduce added sugar consumption.
DESIGN
Semi-structured interviews using purposive, snowball sampling and policy mapping. Policy actions were classified by two frameworks: NOURISHING (e.g. behaviour change communication, food environment and food system) and the Orders of Change (e.g. first order: technical adjustments, second order: reforming the system, third order: transforming the system).
SETTING
Australia.
PARTICIPANTS
Twenty-two stakeholders from the food industry, food regulation, government, public health groups and academia.
RESULTS
All proposed and existing policy actions targeted the food environment/behaviour change; most were assessed as first-order changes, and reductionist (nutrient specific) in nature. Influences on policy actions included industry power, stakeholder fragmentation, government ideology/political will and public pressure. Few stakeholders considered potential risks of policy actions, particularly of non-nutritive sweetener substitution or opportunity costs for other policies.
CONCLUSIONS
Most of Australia's policy actions to reduce added sugar consumption are reductionist. Preferencing nutrient specific, first-order policy actions could reflect the influence of vested interests, a historically dominant reductionist orientation to nutrition science and policy, and the perceived difficulty of pursuing second- or third-order changes. Pursuing only first-order policy actions could lead to 'regrettable' substitutions and creates an opportunity cost for more comprehensive policy aimed at adjusting the broader food system.
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