What is the public appetite for healthy eating policies? Evidence from a cross-European survey

Australian adults' attitudes towards government actions to protect children from digital marketing of unhealthy food and drink products

ISSUE ADDRESSED

This study assessed Australian adults' attitudes towards government actions to protect children from digital marketing of unhealthy food and drink products.

METHODS

An online survey was undertaken by Australian adults aged 18-64 recruited via two national panels in December 2019 (N = 2044).

RESULTS

Most respondents (69%) agreed the Government should protect children from unhealthy food and drink marketing and advertising broadly. Those who agreed most commonly indicated children should be protected up to age 16 (34%) or 18 (24%). There was widespread support for government actions to stop unhealthy food and drink marketing on digital platforms (e.g., internet sites) (68%-69%) and various digital marketing techniques (e.g., advertising by brands on social media) (56%-71%). A total ban on targeting unhealthy food and drink marketing to children online received the highest level of support (76%). Most respondents (81%) disagreed unhealthy food and drink companies should be able to collect children's personal information for marketing purposes. Support for examined actions was generally higher among older adults, more educated adults and more frequent internet users, lower among males, and similar between parents and non-parents.

CONCLUSIONS

There is public perception that the government is responsible for protecting children, well into adolescence, from unhealthy food and drink marketing broadly. Widespread public support extends to specific actions to reduce children's exposure to digital marketing of unhealthy food and drink products. SO WHAT?: Implementation of policies to protect children from digital marketing of unhealthy food and drink products would be well received by the Australian public.

How an agreement with restriction of unhealthy food marketing and sodium taxation influenced high fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) food consumption

BACKGROUND

Food taxation and food marketing policy are very cost-effectiveness to improve healthy diets among children. The objective of this study was to investigate the socio-demographic characteristics of Thais and attitude towards on policy unhealthy food marketing restriction and sodium taxation which influence high fat, sodium, and sugar (FHSS) food eating.

METHODS

The data were obtained from the 2021 Health Behavior of Population Survey, four-stage sampling method of the Thai people, aged 15 years and above, using a offline survey application-assisted face-to-face interview. Logistic Regression were used to analyze the explanatory variables on agreement and HFSS food intake.

RESULTS

Almost half (48.4%) of samples disagreed with sodium taxation, and 42.7% of the samples disagreed with food marketing restriction. Most (99.6%) of Thai respondents consumed HFSS food, including sugar sweetened beverages (SSB). Gender, age, education, income, BMI, and health status were associated with agreement with food marketing restriction policy and sodium taxation policy. There is no association between agreement with policy on sodium taxation and food marketing and HFSS food consumption.

CONCLUSION

Nearly half of Thais indicated that they disagreed with policy on food marketing restriction and sodium taxation. Therefore, understanding and awareness of the two policies among Thais should be further investigated in order to develop better policy communication for increased public understanding and engagement.

Public support for more stringent vaccine policies increases with vaccine effectiveness

Under what conditions do citizens support coercive public policies? Although recent research suggests that people prefer policies that preserve freedom of choice, such as behavioural nudges, many citizens accepted stringent policy interventions like fines and mandates to promote vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic-a pattern that may be linked to the unusually high effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. We conducted a large online survey experiment (N = 42,417) in the Group of Seven (G-7) countries investigating the relationship between a policy's effectiveness and public support for stringent policies. Our results indicate that public support for stringent vaccination policies increases as vaccine effectiveness increases, but at a modest scale. This relationship flattens at higher levels of vaccine effectiveness. These results suggest that intervention effectiveness can be a significant predictor of support for coercive policies but only up to some threshold of effectiveness.

When and Why Do People Accept Public-Policy Interventions? An Integrative Public-Policy-Acceptance Framework

The successful introduction of public policies to prompt behavior change hinges on the degree to which citizens endorse the proposed policies. Although there is a large body of research on psychological determinants of public policy acceptance, these determinants have not yet been synthesized into an integrative framework that proposes hypotheses about their interplay. In this article, we develop a review-based, integrative public-policy-acceptance framework that introduces the desire for governmental support as a motivational foundation in public-policy acceptance. The framework traces the route from problem awareness to policy acceptance and, ultimately, policy compliance. We propose this relationship to be mediated by a desire for governmental support. We integrate numerous key variables assumed to qualify the relationship between problem awareness and the desire for governmental support, such as control attributions, trust, and value fit, as well as the relationship between the desire for governmental support and policy acceptance, such as perceived policy effectiveness, intrusiveness, and fairness. We exemplify the use of the proposed framework by applying it to climate policies.

Online commentaries of the sugar-sweetened beverages tax in Malaysia: Content analysis

INTRODUCTION

Implementing taxes on sugary drinks, or SSBs, has been a controversial topic in many countries, including Malaysia. This study aimed to examine how Malaysian Facebook users responded to the announcement and implementation of the SSBs tax through netnography.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study employed qualitative and quantitative methods and used an inductive approach and thematic content analysis to analyze online commentaries on news articles published on popular online news portals from November 2018 to August 2019. Data was collected by downloading the commentaries onto Microsoft Word and importing them into NVivo.

RESULTS

Of the commentaries analyzed, 60.9% rejected the SSBs tax, and 39.1% favored it. No association was found between the online news articles and the slants of the commentaries.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study demonstrate a clear divide in public opinion regarding the SSBs tax in Malaysia, with many online readers expressing opposition to the tax despite evidence of the harmful effects of sugar presented in the articles they are commenting on. These findings have implications for policymakers and public health advocates seeking to implement similar taxes in the future.

Public preferences for policies promoting a healthy diet: a discrete choice experiment

BACKGROUND

Worldwide obesity rates have nearly tripled over the past five decades. So far, policies to promote a healthier diet have been less intrusive than those to reduce tobacco and alcohol consumption. Not much is known about public support for policies that aim to promote a healthy diet. In this study, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) was used to elicit stated preferences for policies varying in intrusiveness among a representative sample of the public of The Netherlands.

METHODS

The choice tasks presented respondents a hypothetical scenario of two policy packages, each comprising a mix of seven potential policies that differed in level of intrusiveness. We estimated mixed logit models (MXL) to estimate respondents' preferences for these policies and performed latent class analyses to identify heterogeneity in preferences.

RESULTS

The MXL model showed that positive financial incentives like subsidies for vegetables and fruit yielded most utility. A tax of 50% on sugary drinks was associated with disutility while a tax of 20% was associated with positive utility compared to no tax at all. We identified three subgroups with distinct preferences for the seven policies to promote a healthy diet, which were characterized as being "against", "mixed" and "pro" policies to promote a healthy diet.

CONCLUSION

Preferences for policies promoting a healthy diet vary considerably in the Dutch population, particularly in relation to more intrusive policies. This makes selection and implementation of a policy package that has wide public support challenging.

Public acceptance of default nudges to promote healthy and sustainable food choices

BACKGROUND

Default nudges are an increasingly prominent tool for promoting healthy and sustainable food choices; however, questions of acceptance remain. While default nudges are more acceptable to the public than traditionally paternalistic tools that aim to restrict choice, they are also the least acceptable amongst nudging strategies. Little research has investigated the aspects of default nudge design that can be leveraged to better uphold freedom of choice, increase public acceptance, and therefore heighten legitimacy of default nudges. Consequently, this study examines public acceptance of five food choice default nudges with demonstrated precedent of effectiveness, as drawn from research studies and/or real-world policies, along with a design variation of each anticipated to increase acceptance. Three drivers of acceptance - perceived intrusiveness, perceived effectiveness, and own behavior - are examined.

METHODS

An online survey was administered in Germany (N = 451) to a sample representative of the adult population on quotas of age, gender and income. Acceptance and drivers were measured using seven-point Likert scales. Significant differences in median acceptance of the nudge were determined and displayed graphically. Ten proportional odds ordered logit models were applied and estimated using a maximum likelihood approach to investigate the mechanisms of nudge acceptance.

RESULTS

Examined changes in nudge design, particularly decreasing costliness of opting out and increasing transparency, increased the acceptance of three of the five nudges (N2.2: p = 0.000; N3.2: p = 0.000; N4.2: p = 0.008). Perceived intrusiveness emerged as the most prominent driver of acceptance (negative relationship), followed by perceived effectiveness (positive relationship). Own engagement in the target behavior of the nudge and socio-demographic variables demonstrated negligible impact on acceptance.

CONCLUSIONS

Mitigating the costliness of opting out and improving nudge transparency emerge as key opportunities for choice architects to improve public acceptance, and thereby potentially identify 'sweet spots' in designing default nudges that are both effective and acceptable. The protection of individual freedom of choice and effectiveness are key aspects for choice architects to communicate to increase acceptance.

The Awareness of the Role of Commercial Determinants of Health and the Readiness to Accept Restrictions on Unhealthy Food Advertising in Polish Society

The negative consequences of commercial determinants of health (CDoH) have become a major challenge for public health systems, especially in terms of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). CDoH are defined as profit-driven factors that influence health. In this study, we assessed the awareness of CDoH and the attitudes toward potential restrictions on advertising, as well as fiscal interventions targeting food products with harmful effects on health in Polish society. Our analysis is based on data from a computer-based web interviewing (CAWI) survey performed in May 2022 among 2008 adult internet users from Poland. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed for variables derived from three items exploring the respondents' understanding of the relationship between CDoH and NCDs, as well as three items asking about their acceptance of a prohibition of advertising unhealthy products during sports events, a general ban on unhealthy food advertising, and their attitudes toward sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Food (FL) and e-health literacy (eHL) levels were consistently positive predictors of both awareness of CDoH and acceptance of the proposed actions. Both higher FL and eHL were significantly associated with the opinion that advertising unhealthy food is associated with the prevalence of NCDs (OR, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.02-1.05, and 1.04, 1.02-1.06, respectively). Health literacy was less frequently a significant predictor of the dependent variables. Among sociodemographic factors, a respondent's level of education and age showed a significant relationship with their awareness and acceptance of countermeasures against CDoH. Respondents with a university master's level of education were more likely to agree with the statement on the relationship between big industry profits and harm to society's health (OR, 95% CI: 1.96, 1.42-2.69) and to support a ban on advertising unhealthy food similar to that for tobacco products (OR, 95% CI: 1.66, 1.21-2.27). Respondents suffering from chronic diseases were also consistently more likely to show a greater understanding of the harmful impact of CDoH and support proposed restrictions. For example, they were more likely to agree with restrictions on advertising harmful products during sports events (OR, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.02-1.50) and the introduction of a sugar tax (OR, 95% CI: 1.26, 1.03-1.54). Our study revealed that more than 50% of the Polish population is conscious of the problem of the harmful effects of big industries producing and selling processed food, sugar-sweetened beverages, and alcoholic beverages. Interestingly, slightly more than half of the respondents supported the introduction of restrictions on advertising such products. Still, only approximately 30% of them accepted a sugar tax to counter the obesity epidemic. The results of our study indicate that Polish society is open to the introduction of regulations aimed at limiting the impact of commercial determinants of health. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to assess the awareness of CDoH and the acceptance of restrictions to limit their impact.

Exploring views of members of the public and policymakers on the acceptability of population level dietary and active-travel policies: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

There is limited evidence on what shapes the acceptability of population level dietary and active-travel policies in England. This information would be useful in the decision-making process about which policies should be implemented and how to increase their effectiveness and sustainability. To fill this gap, we explored public and policymakers' views about factors that influence public acceptability of dietary and active-travel policies and how to increase public acceptability for these policies.

METHODS

We conducted online, semi-structured interviews with 20 members of the public and 20 policymakers in England. A purposive sampling frame was used to recruit members of the public via a recruitment agency, based on age, sex, socioeconomic status and ethnicity. Policymakers were recruited from existing contacts within our research collaborations and via snowball sampling. We explored different dietary and active-travel policies that varied in their scope and focus. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic reflexive analysis with both inductive and deductive coding.

RESULTS

We identified four themes that informed public acceptability of dietary and active-travel policies: (1) perceived policy effectiveness, i.e., policies that included believable mechanisms of action, addressed valued co-benefits and barriers to engage in the behaviour; (2) perceived policy fairness, i.e., policies that provided everyone with an opportunity to benefit (mentioned only by the public), equally considered the needs of various population subgroups and rewarded 'healthy' behaviours rather than only penalising 'unhealthy' behaviours; (3) communication of policies, i.e., policies that were visible and had consistent and positive messages from the media (mentioned only by policymakers) and (4) how to improve policy support, with the main suggestion being an integrated strategy addressing multiple aspects of these behaviours, inclusive policies that consider everyone's needs and use of appropriate channels and messages in policy communication.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight that members' of the public and policymakers' support for dietary and active-travel policies can be shaped by the perceived effectiveness, fairness and communication of policies and provide suggestions on how to improve policy support. This information can inform the design of acceptable policies but can also be used to help communicate existing and future policies to maximise their adoption and sustainability.

Support for weight-related anti-discrimination laws and policies: Modelling the role of attitudes toward poverty alongside weight stigma, causal attributions about weight, and prejudice

In the present study, we sought to position support for weight-related anti-discrimination laws and policies within a broader political and socioeconomic context. Specifically, we hypothesised that individualistic (rather than structural) anti-poverty attitudes would provide the basis for negative weight-related dispositions. To test this hypothesis, we asked 392 respondents from the United Kingdom to complete measures of support for weight-related anti-discrimination laws and policies, attributions about the causes of being larger-bodied, and weight-related stigma and prejudice. Path analysis with robust maximum likelihood estimation indicated that greater individualistic anti-poverty attitudes were significantly and directly associated with lower support for weight-related anti-discrimination laws and policies. This direct association was also significantly mediated by weight-related stigma and via a serial mediation involving both weight-related stigma and prejudice. Although greater individualistic anti-poverty attitudes were significantly associated with greater personal attributions for being larger-bodied, the latter did not emerge as a significant mediation pathway. The present findings highlight the importance of considering broader political and socioeconomic contextual factors that may provide a basis for the development, maintenance, and manifestation of negative weight-related dispositions.

Effects of front-of-package nutrition labelling systems on understanding and purchase intention in Jamaica: results from a multiarm randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effects of three different front-of-package labelling (FOPL) schemes on objective understanding and intention to purchase of products, in Jamaica.

SETTING

Supermarkets in Jamaica.

PARTICIPANTS

Adult supermarket shoppers in Jamaica (n=1206) aged 18 years old or older were included in the study, except for those visually impaired, or unable to give informed consent.

DESIGN

Multiarm parallel-group randomised trial.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were randomly allocated to one of the three intervention groups or the control group. They were exposed to two-dimensional images of 12 mock-up products presented in random and balanced order. Participants assigned to the intervention groups were exposed to one FOPL scheme: black octagonal warning labels (OWL), magnifying glass high-in single icon (MGG) or traffic-light labelling (TFL). The control group was exposed to the nutrition facts up front.

OUTCOME MEASURES

OR for correctly understanding nutritional information (correctly selecting the least harmful option, correctly identifying sugars, sodium and/or saturated fats found to be in excess) and choosing to purchase the least harmful option (purchase intention), more often.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the odds for correctly selecting the least harmful option more often were 107% higher in the OWL group (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.54 to 2.78; p<0.001), whereas the MGG (1.18, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.57; p=0.24) and the TFL (1.13, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.51; p=0.39) were inefficacious in improving such odds. OWL also resulted in the highest odds for correctly identifying a product with excessive amounts of sugars, sodium and/or saturated fats and for deciding to purchase the least harmful option or none of the options.

CONCLUSIONS

Octagonal warning labels performed best at improving the ability of adult shoppers in Jamaica to understand the nutrition information and at encouraging them to purchase the least harmful option more often.

An examination of public support for 35 nutrition interventions across seven countries

BACKGROUND

Public support for evidence-based nutrition interventions can be an important determinant of government willingness to develop and implement such interventions. The aim of this study was to assess support for a broad range of nutrition interventions across seven countries: Australia, Canada, China, India, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Assessed interventions included those relating to food availability, affordability, reformulation, labelling, and promotion.

METHODS

Approximately 1000 adults per country (total n = 7559) completed an online survey assessing support for 35 nutrition interventions/policies. ANOVA analyses were used to identify differences between countries on overall levels of support and by intervention category. Multiple regression analyses assessed demographic and diet-related factors associated with higher levels of support across the total sample and by country.

RESULTS

Substantial levels of public support were found for the assessed interventions across the seven countries and five intervention categories. The highest levels were found in India (Mean across all interventions of 4.16 (standard deviation (SD) 0.65) on a 5-point scale) and the lowest in the United States (Mean = 3.48, SD = 0.83). Support was strongest for interventions involving food labelling (Mean = 4.20, SD = 0.79) and food reformulation (Mean = 4.17, SD = 0.87), and weakest for fiscal interventions (Mean = 3.52, SD = 1.06). Consumer characteristics associated with stronger support were higher self-rated health, higher educational attainment, female sex, older age, and perceptions of consuming a healthy diet.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate substantial support for a large range of nutrition interventions across the assessed countries, and hence governments could potentially be more proactive in developing and implementing such initiatives.

Public perception of the tax on sweetened beverages in France

OBJECTIVE

To assess in 2021 the acceptance and perception of the French tax on sweetened beverages, following its revision in 2018, and factors associated with a higher level of acceptance.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey within the NutriNet-Santé cohort study. Participants were invited to complete a self-reported questionnaire in March 2021. Weighting was applied to the sample to allow inferences on the French population. Individual characteristics associated with support for the tax were investigated using logistic regression modelling.

SETTINGS

NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults engaged in the NutriNet-Santé cohort, aged 18 years or older (n 28 344), living in mainland France.

RESULTS

Almost two-thirds (63·4 %) of the participants were aware of the existence of a tax on sweetened beverages, although less than a quarter had specific knowledge regarding its design and the 2018 revision. In turn, 64·7 % of participants expressed a favourable opinion towards the taxation scheme. This proportion was higher if tax revenues were used to finance health-related measures (respectively 68·8 % of favourable opinion if used to finance a reduction in prices of healthy products and 76·4 % if used to finance the healthcare system). Multivariable analyses showed that support towards the tax varied among subgroups of the population. Groups who tended to be less financially affected by the measure and those who perceived sugar-sweetened beverages as having detrimental effects were more likely to support the tax.

CONCLUSION

The revised French sugar-sweetened beverage tax appeared to be favourably received and perceived by the public.

Public Opinion on Food Policies to Combat Obesity in Spain

(1) Introduction: Poor diet is the fourth-leading cause of mortality in Spain, where adherence to the Mediterranean diet has declined in recent decades. To remedy this situation, a series of food policies have been proposed that would be easier to implement if they had public support. (2) Material and methods: Cross-sectional study covering a representative sample of the Spanish population (n = 1002), using telephone interviews that addressed nine food policies under four headings, namely, advertising, labeling, composition, and provision and sale. The sociodemographic determinants of support for these policies were analyzed using the chi-squared (χ2) test and Poisson multiple regression models with robust variance. (3) Results: All the proposed measures received more than 60% support. The policies that received greatest support were those targeting labeling at 96.6%, while the policies that received the least support were those directed at banning free refills at restaurants, at 63%. Support for policies was higher among women, older adults, and persons professing left-wing ideological affiliations. Compared with men, women's support for advertising policies was 21% higher: similarly, compared with the youngest age group (18-29 years), support by the over-65 segment for provision and sale policies was 52% higher. Support for composition policies was 28% lower among persons with right-wing as opposed to left-wing political sympathies. (4) Conclusions: The authorities enjoy the support of the Spanish public as regards implementing food policies proposed by experts and overcoming the resistance of sectors opposed to such measures.

Public Support for the Imposition of a Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and the Determinants of Such Support in Spain

(1) Background: Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages are an effective public health intervention, but can be difficult to implement in the absence of public support. This is the first study to analyze the Spanish population’s support for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. (2) Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of a representative sample of the Spanish adult population (n = 1002), using a computer-aided telephone interview with a questionnaire on nutritional policies. The support for the tax was calculated by the percentage of those who agreed plus those who strongly agreed with the measure. The sociodemographic determinants of support for the tax were analyzed using chi-squared test (χ2) and Poisson multiple regression models with robust variance. (3) Results: Of the participants, 66.9% supported a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Support for the tax was 9.2% higher (70% vs. 64.1%) when responders were first asked about support for tax relief and subsidies for healthy foods (p = 0.049). Support for the tax was 16% and 35% lower among persons reporting center and right-wing political sympathies (p < 0.01), and 16% lower among regular consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages (p = 0.01). (4) Conclusions: A clear majority of the Spanish population is in favor of imposing a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Awareness-raising campaigns and a policy of combining the measure with subsidies or tax cuts on healthy foods could increase the level of support among those currently against the intervention.

Social acceptability of standard and behavioral economic inspired policies designed to reduce and prevent obesity

The obesity epidemic is a significant public policy issue facing the international community, resulting in substantial costs to individuals and society. Various policies have been suggested to reduce and prevent obesity, including those informed by standard economics (a key feature of which is the assumption that individuals are rational) and behavioral economics (which identifies and harness deviations from rationality). It is not known which policy interventions taxpayers find acceptable and would prefer to fund via taxation. We provide evidence from a discrete choice experiment on an Australian sample of 996 individuals to investigate social acceptability of eight policies: mass media campaign; traffic light nutritional labeling; taxing sugar sweetened beverages; prepaid cards to purchase healthy food; financial incentives to exercise; improved built environment for physical activity; bans on advertising unhealthy food and drink to children; and improved nutritional quality of food sold in public institutions. Latent class analysis revealed three classes differing in preferences and key respondent characteristics including capacity to benefit. Social acceptability of the eight policies at realistic levels of tax increases was explored using post-estimation analysis. Overall, 78% of the sample were predicted to choose a new policy, varying from 99% in those most likely to benefit from obesity interventions to 19% of those least likely to benefit. A policy informed by standard economics, traffic light labeling was the most popular policy, followed by policies involving regulation: bans on junk food advertising to children and improvement of food quality in public institutions. The least popular policies were behaviorally informed: prepaid cards for the purchase of only healthy foods, and financial incentives to exercise.

Public support for policies to improve population and planetary health: A population-based online experiment assessing impact of communicating evidence of multiple versus single benefits

Background

Effective interventions for reducing the consumption of products that harm population and planetary health often lack public support, impeding implementation. Communicating evidence of policies’ effectiveness can increase public support but there is uncertainty about the most effective ways of communicating this evidence. Some policies have multiple benefits such as both improving health and the environment. This study assesses whether communicating evidence of multiple versus single benefits of a policy increases its support.

Method

Participants (n = 4616) nationally representative of the British population were randomised to one of 24 groups in an online experiment with a 4 × 3 × 2 between-subjects factorial design. The messages that participants viewed differed according to the evidence they communicated (no message, effectiveness for changing behaviour, effectiveness for changing behaviour + one policy benefit, effectiveness for changing behaviour + three policy benefits), type of policy (taxation, availability) and the target behaviour (consumption of energy-dense food, alcohol, or meat). The primary outcome was policy support.

Results

In a full factorial ANOVA, there was a significant main effect of communicating evidence of effectiveness on policy support, which was similar across policies and behaviours. Communicating three benefits increased support relative to communicating one benefit (d = 0.15; p = 0.01). Communicating one benefit increased support compared to providing evidence for changing behaviour alone (d = 0.13; p = 0.004) or no message (d = 0.11 p = 0.022).

Conclusion

Communicating evidence of a policy's benefits increases support for policy action across different behaviours and policies. Presenting multiple benefits of policies enhances public support.

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Providing evidence of policies effectiveness at achieving policy goals increases public support.

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Uncertainty exists about the most effective ways of communicating this evidence.

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Evidence about multiple policy benefits increases support more than evidence for a single benefit.

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Effects are evident across behaviours and policies.

Community support for policy interventions targeting unhealthy food environments in public institutions

ISSUE ADDRESSED

Understanding community support for obesity prevention policy is important for developing effective preventive health action. This study assessed support for a range of obesity prevention interventions, including food environment policies designed to improve healthy food and drink availability and promotion within public institutions.

METHODS

An online cross-sectional survey was completed by 2,006 NSW adults. Questions explored attitudes and beliefs about obesity, the importance of government-led prevention and support for eight obesity prevention interventions. Regression analyses examined associations between intervention support and sociodemographic, attitudinal, and behavioral characteristics.

RESULTS

Most respondents (80%) believed obesity was a large problem and that poor individual choices (86%) and the widespread availability of unhealthy food and drink (78%) contributed to the issue. There was moderate to high support for most (n=7) initiatives. Support for food environment policies was highest for schools (76-82%) and hospitals (67-79%). Supporters and opponents rationalised opinions based on perceived effectiveness, the government's role and cost benefits. Opponents were a minority, but principles of autonomy were predominant. Attributing obesity to environment-related factors, and personal lower SSB consumption strongly predicted support.

CONCLUSION

There is significant recognition of the obesity issue and strong support for policies designed to improve the availability and promotion of healthy food and drink in public institutions, particularly in schools and hospitals. SO WHAT?: Substantial community support for healthy food environment policies in schools and hospitals warrants continued implementation in NSW. This may foster further acceptance for wider implementation. Our findings could inform the framing of policy advocacy messages.

Weight stigma and obesity-related policies: A systematic review of the state of the literature

Weight stigma is an important issue colliding with obesity-related policies; both have population health and social impacts. Our aim was to conduct a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature that combined the concepts of stigma, obesity, and policy. We searched PsycINFO, Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed articles amalgamating terms relevant to stigma, obesity, and policy. Of 3219 records identified, 47 were included in the narrative synthesis. Two key types of studies emerged: studies investigating factors associated with support for obesity-related policies and those exploring policy implementation and evaluation. We found that support for nonstigmatizing obesity-related policies was higher when obesity was attributed as an environmental rather than individual problem. An undercurrent theme suggested that views that blame individuals for their obesity were associated with support for punitive policies for people living in larger bodies. Real-world policies often implicitly condoned stigma through poor language choice and conflicting discourse. Our findings inform recommendations for policy makers that broader socioecological stigma-reduction approaches are needed to fully address the issue of weight stigma in obesity-related policies. Efforts are needed in the research and policy sectors to understand how to improve the design and support of nonstigmatizing obesity-related policies.

Relationship Between Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Intake: An Assessment Among a Sample of Italian Adults

Background: Assessing nutrition knowledge provides useful information especially if coupled with the self-perception of nutrition knowledge that could lead to bias and personal conviction. The objective of this study was to assess nutrition knowledge (NK) and its relationship with eating habits in a group of adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study with the administration of self-reported questionnaires was conducted on a sample of 591 parents (43 ± 5.82 years old) of primary school pupils recruited from the municipality of Rome (urban) and province (rural). The fieldwork was carried out in May 2017. An indicator to evaluate adherence to Italian dietary guidelines was developed. ANOVA (Welch's ANOVA in case of unequal variances) test and chi-squared test were used fixing the significance level at 5% (p < 0.05). Results: The percentage of correct answers to nutrition knowledge was 46%, with the expert recommendation section having the highest percentage (59%). The majority of the respondents (66%) were confident that they had a high level of nutrition knowledge. In 37% of the sample, nutrition knowledge and self-perception nutrition knowledge levels were found to be associated. A total of 40% of the sample showed eating habits congruent with nutrition knowledge level. In the investigated sample, living in rural areas, being young, and having low school education level were factors associated with low nutrition literacy or/and unhealthy eating habits. Conclusions: This study provided a demonstration that an assessment based on a multidimensional and multilevel approach is helpful to identify knowledge gaps and to profile critical segments to put in place targeted policy interventions.

The conflict between Public Health and 'Big Food': A Counterinsurgency?

This commentary characterises as an insurgency those elements of the Food Industry seeking to retain and expand industry profit-making opportunity with scant regard to the effect on public health and wellbeing. Premised on a conflict in which the battlespace encompasses the drivers of (un)healthful behaviour, our view encourages opponents of Food Industry methods to consider an approach based on analogy of successful Counter-Insurgency strategies to a health promotion context.

Monitoring changes in community support for policies on obesity prevention

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the New South Wales (NSW) community's support for obesity prevention policies and concern for food marketing and promotion issues, and to determine any demographic differences or changes over time.

METHODS

In 2013 (n=2474), 2016 (n=1602) and 2019 (n=1613) a sample of adults who were representative of the NSW population for age, gender, education and location was asked about support for policy initiatives that influence the food environment. Analysis identified the characteristics of those who supported policies and variation in support over time.

RESULTS

There were limited changes in support over time; however, support for many policies was strong and sustained. In 2019, support was highest for regulation of claims about nutrition (77.2%), and health warning labels (75.7%). Support for a ban on unhealthy food advertising that targets children (64.6%) had decreased since 2013. Women, older people and those who were aware that obesity was a risk factor for cancer were generally more likely to support policies. Parents were more likely than non-parents to be concerned about positioning unhealthy food at supermarket checkouts (OR 1.32) and unhealthy outdoor advertisements (OR 1.22). Concern increased in 2019 for unhealthy marketing on the internet (OR 1.21).

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows public support for policy options at moderate to high levels but not increasing in the six-year study period. Implications for public health: These results form part of a package that, along with the well-established evidence, makes the case for policy action in Australia.

Current use of nutrition facts tables and attitudes towards new red and green front-of-package labels among Israeli consumers

Front-of-package labels (FOPL) are designed to simplify nutrition information and to help consumers make healthier food choices. The Israeli government has implemented new regulations requiring mandatory red warning FOPL for high levels of sodium, sugar, or saturated fats. A voluntary green positive FOPL for products fitting the national nutritional recommendations was concurrently encouraged. In order to characterise adult consumers' current use of Nutrition Facts Tables (NFT) and their attitudes towards the new FOPL, a nationally representative cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted. Most of the 1,042 survey respondents reported frequent NFT use (76.2%) and intentions to purchase fewer red-labelled (81.1%) and more green-labelled products (85.0%). Consumers with higher BMI and lower education expressed higher intentions to use the new FOPL, but not higher current use of NFT. This finding suggests that these high-risk groups, which the new labels are meant to target, may indeed benefit from the new policy.

Public support for healthy supermarket initiatives focused on product placement: a multi-country cross-sectional analysis of the 2018 International Food Policy Study

BACKGROUND

Food retail environments have an influential role in shaping purchasing behavior and could contribute to improving dietary patterns at a population level. However, little is known about the level of public support for different types of initiatives to encourage healthy food choices in supermarkets, and whether this varies across countries or context. The current study aimed to explore the level of support for three potential supermarket initiatives focused on product placement across five countries, and factors that may influence this support.

METHODS

A total of 22,264 adults from Australia, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States (US) provided information on support for three supermarket initiatives related to product placement (targeting product positioning: 'checkouts with only healthy products', 'fewer end-of-aisle displays containing unhealthy foods or soft drinks' or availability: 'more shelf space for fresh and healthier foods') as part of the online 2018 International Food Policy Study. The proportion of respondents that supported each initiative was assessed across countries, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the influence of sociodemographic factors on support.

RESULTS

The initiative that received the highest support was 'more shelf space for fresh and healthier foods': 72.0% [95% CI 71.3-72.7], whereas 'checkouts with only healthy products' received the lowest support: 48.6% [95% CI 47.8-49.4]. The level of support differed between countries (p < 0.001 for all initiatives), with the US generally showing the lowest support and Mexico the highest. Noteworthy, in the overall sample, there was not much opposition to any of the initiatives (2.5-14.2%), whereas there was a large proportion of neutral responses (25.5-37.2%). Respondents who were older, female, highly educated, and those who reported having more nutrition knowledge tended to be more supportive, with several differences between countries and initiatives.

CONCLUSIONS

Most people in the assessed five countries showed a generally high level of support for three placement initiatives in supermarkets to encourage healthy food choices. Support varied by type of initiative (i.e., product positioning or availability) and was influenced by several factors related to country context and sociodemographic characteristics. This evidence could prompt and guide retailers and policy makers to take stronger action to promote healthy food choices in stores.

Weight bias and support of public health policies

OBJECTIVES

Public health policies have been proposed to help address prevalent Canadian obesity rates. Along with the increase in obesity prevalence, explicit weight bias is also rampant in Western society. This paper aimed to assess the association between explicit weight bias attitudes and Canadian public support of these policy recommendations.

METHODS

Canadian adults (N = 903; 51% female; BMI = 27.3 ± 7.0 kg/m²) completed an online survey measuring explicit weight bias, using the three subscales of the Anti-Fat Attitudes Questionnaire: Willpower (belief in weight controllability), Fear of fat (fear of gaining weight), and Dislike (antipathy towards people with obesity). Whether these subscales were associated with policy support was assessed with logistic regression. Analyses were adjusted for age, race, gender, and income.

RESULTS

Public support of policy recommendations ranged from 53% to 90%. Explicit weight bias was primarily expressed through a fear of weight gain and the belief that weight gain was within the individual's control based on willpower. Although the Dislike subscale was associated with lower support for several policies that enable or guide individual choice in behaviour change, the Willpower and Fear of fat subscales were associated with greater support for similar policies.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes to evidence-informed public health action by describing public support of public health policies and demonstrating an association between explicit weight bias and public support. A higher total explicit weight bias score increased the odds of supporting primarily less intrusive policies. However, dislike of individuals with obesity was associated with decreased odds of supporting many policies.

The Acceptability of Food Policies

We propose and test a model of food policy acceptability. The model is structured in four levels: government, topic, policy, and individual. In this study, we focus on two levels that are actionable for policy-makers: the topic and policy levels. We assess nine factors using a first online survey with 600 UK nationals and replicate our results in a second survey with 588 participants. Our results suggest that three factors have a positive effect on acceptability at the topic level: awareness of the issue, the legitimacy of state intervention, and social norms. At the policy level, we report a positive effect of the policy's expected effectiveness, its appropriate targeting of consumers, and the perceived support of the majority. On the other hand, more coercive interventions and those generating inequalities are judged to be less acceptable. Additionally, we report an interaction between awareness and coerciveness on acceptability. Participants who are aware of the issue were more likely to support coercive policies. We also find evidence for a trade-off between coerciveness, effectiveness, and acceptability, as more coercive measures are considered more effective, but less acceptable by participants. Our findings offer policy-makers, nutrition experts, and advocates for healthier and more sustainable diets a new and integrated understanding of the underlying factors that determine food policy acceptability.

Are perceptions of government intervention for prevention different by gender and age? Results from the AUStralian Perceptions Of Prevention Survey (AUSPOPS)

OBJECTIVES

Understanding public opinion and community attitudes is needed to help the implementation of chronic disease prevention policies that are acceptable to the population. The AUStralian Perceptions Of Prevention Survey ('AUSPOPS') is a national survey designed to provide evidence on the views of Australians regarding government intervention for prevention. However there is limited evidence whether age and gender have modifying effects on attitudes about prevention.

METHODS

Using results from the 2018 AUSPOPS dataset, this study examines whether the effect of age on attitudes about prevention is modified by the effect of gender. Survey questions included views about statements for government intervention and whether government had gone far enough for thirteen different preventive interventions.

RESULTS

2601 Australian residents aged 18 years or older participated in the survey (response rate 16.7%). Results showed strong support for prevention framed as a shared responsibility between governments and individuals. Interventions where >50% of respondents felt the government had not gone far enough in prevention were restricting unhealthy food advertising for children and setting salt limits on processed food. There were significant age by gender interactions in a small number (n = 4) of questions examining support for government intervention for prevention, suggesting young men were least in favour of more action by government.

CONCLUSIONS

There is general support in the Australian community for government intervention for prevention. Policymakers could capitalize on this sentiment by prioritizing policies with high levels of support across all groups, and target population subgroups on issues where acceptability appears to be heterogenous.

Communicating evidence about the environment's role in obesity and support for government policies to tackle obesity: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Public support for many policies that tackle obesity by changing environments is low. This may reflect commonly held causal beliefs about obesity, namely that it is due to failures of self-control rather than environmental influences. Several studies have sought to increase public support by changing these and similar causal beliefs, with mixed results. The current review is the first systematic synthesis of these studies. Searches of PsycInfo, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Open Grey yielded 20 eligible studies (N = 8977) from 11,776 abstracts. Eligible studies were controlled experiments with an intervention group that communicated information about the environment’s role in obesity, and a measure of support for environment-based obesity policies. The protocol was prospectively registered on PROSPERO. Meta-analyses showed no evidence that communicating information about the environment’s influence on obesity changed policy support or the belief that the environment influences obesity. A likely explanation for this null effect is the ineffectiveness of interventions that were designed to change the belief that the environment influences obesity. The possibility remains, however, that the association observed between beliefs about the causes of obesity and attitudes towards obesity policies is correlational and not causal.

Knowledge and acceptance of interventions aimed at reducing sugar intake in Portugal

OBJECTIVE

Governments worldwide have been implementing interventions aimed at improving citizens' dietary habits. Examining how individuals perceive these interventions is relevant for promoting future policies in this area, as well as informing the way they are designed and implemented. In the current study, we focused on interventions aimed at reducing sugar intake in Portugal, given the current high sugar consumption patterns in the population.

DESIGN

Online survey to assess which interventions are the most salient and receive greater public support.

SETTING

Portugal.

PARTICIPANTS

1010 (76·7 % female, MAge 36·33, sd 13·22).

RESULTS

Data from a free-recall task showed that only about one-third of participants reported knowing about these interventions, namely those related to taxation, weight restrictions in individual sugar packets and limited availability of products with high sugar content. We also found evidence of high support for the eight interventions presented (except for replacing sugar by artificial sweeteners), positive attitudes towards the need of reducing sugar intake in the Portuguese population and high agreement with the importance of reducing sugar intake across all age groups, particularly among children. Participants also indicated paying attention to the amount of sugar in their diets and a low self-reported frequency of consumption of high sugary foods and beverages. A hierarchical regression analysis suggested that these variables were significantly associated with the overall acceptance of interventions, independently of social-demographic variables (i.e., age, education and sex).

CONCLUSION

By examining how people perceive and accept different interventions targeting the reduction of sugar intake, the current work aims to support policymaking in this domain.

Communicating Evidence about the Causes of Obesity and Support for Obesity Policies: Two Population-Based Survey Experiments

Public support for numerous obesity policies is low, which is one barrier to their implementation. One reason for this low support is the tendency to ascribe obesity to failings of willpower as opposed to the environment. Correlational evidence supports this position. However, the experimental evidence is mixed. In two experimental studies, participants were randomised to receive no message, messages about the environment's influence on obesity (Study 1 & 2), or messages about the environment's influence on human behaviour (Study 1). We investigated whether communicating these messages changed support for obesity policies and beliefs about the causes of obesity. Participants were recruited from nationally representative samples in Great Britain (Study 1 & 2) and the USA (Study 2) (total n = 4391). Study 2 was designed to replicate existing research. Neither study found evidence that communicating the messages increased support for obesity policies or strengthened beliefs about the environment's role in obesity. Study 2, therefore, did not replicate two earlier experimental studies. Instead, the studies reported here suggest that people's beliefs about the causes of obesity are resistant to change in response to evidence and are, therefore, not a promising avenue to increase support for obesity policies.

Impact and acceptance of a state-wide policy to remove sugar-sweetened beverages in hospitals in New South Wales, Australia

ISSUE ADDRESSED

Policy and environmental approaches can reduce the accessibility and purchasing of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), potentially reducing overweight and obesity. This study examined the impact of a state-wide policy on removal of SSBs from sale in NSW public hospitals (launched July 2017), and explored consumer awareness and support.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 81 food outlets in 26 hospitals were audited for SSB availability before and after the target date for SSB removal (31 December 2017). An interviewer-administered intercept survey in 10 randomly selected hospitals (March-May 2018), assessed staff and visitors' awareness of and support for SSB removal. Descriptive and χ² analyses assessed differences in: SSB availability; staff and visitor awareness and support. Open-ended survey responses were thematically analysed.

RESULTS

The proportion of outlets that removed SSBs increased from 58.0% to 96.3% (P < .001). The majority (79.5%) of the 2394 surveyed supported SSB removal, with nearly half (48.4%) reporting it would improve people's health. A minority (13.4%) did not support SSB removal, more than half (61.4%) of those said individuals should have free choice. More staff than visitors were aware of the change (61.9% vs 31.2%; P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Availability of SSBs in NSW hospitals was significantly reduced after implementation of a policy to remove them from sale. There was strong staff and visitor support for the initiative. SO WHAT?: This study provides clear evidence that a policy designed to provide a healthy hospital retail drink environment can be successfully implemented at scale with high levels of support from staff and visitors.

SUMMARY

A state-wide policy initiative to remove SSBs from sale in NSW hospital food outlets in 2017 was successfully implemented, with a sample of outlets having nearly 100% compliance. The majority of staff and visitors (80%) supported the removal of SSBs, mostly because they believed it would improve individual and population health.

"Keep Yourself Alive": From Healthy Eating to Progression to Orthorexia Nervosa A Mixed Methods Study among Young Women in the Netherlands

This study aimed to understand the factors influencing people's choice to follow a diet considered healthy, and if and how these factors may contribute progress toward a higher (unhealthy) degree of preoccupation with healthy eating: orthorexia nervosa. This was achieved through mixed methods (interviews, n = 12; questionnaire, n = 82). The target group was young females in the Netherlands. Several biological, psychological, and social factors contribute to people's healthy eating. Having concerns about chronic conditions were found to be significantly associated with a higher degree of preoccupation with healthy eating, resulting implicated in the possible onset of orthorexia nervosa.

Communicating the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of government policies and their impact on public support: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Low public support for government interventions in health, environment and other policy domains can be a barrier to implementation. Communicating evidence of policy effectiveness has been used to influence attitudes towards policies, with mixed results. This review provides the first systematic synthesis of such studies. Eligible studies were randomized controlled experiments that included an intervention group that provided evidence of a policy's effectiveness or ineffectiveness at achieving a salient outcome, and measured policy support. From 6498 abstracts examined, there were 45 effect sizes from 36 eligible studies. In total, 35 (N = 30 858) communicated evidence of effectiveness, and 10 (N = 5078) communicated evidence of ineffectiveness. Random effects meta-analysis revealed that communicating evidence of a policy's effectiveness increased support for the policy (SMD = 0.11, 95% CI [0.07, 0.15], p < 0.0001), equivalent to support increasing from 50% to 54% (95% CI [53%, 56%]). Communicating evidence of ineffectiveness decreased policy support (SMD = -0.14, 95% CI [-0.22, -0.06], p < 0.001), equivalent to support decreasing from 50% to 44% (95% CI [41%, 47%]). These findings suggest that public support for policies in a range of domains is sensitive to evidence of their effectiveness, as well as their ineffectiveness.

How Can We Motivate People to Use Nutritional Warnings in Decision Making? Citizen Co-Created Insights for the Development of Communication Campaigns

Nutritional warnings are intended to enable citizens to make informed choice by clearly identifying food products with excessive content of nutrients associated with noncommunicable diseases. The efficacy of this public policy is expected to improve if accompanied by communication campaigns that raise awareness of the existence of nutritional warnings, as well as encourage citizens to take them into account in decision making. Because ordinary citizens have been shown to generate significantly more creative and valuable ideas than advanced users and professional developers, the aim of the present work was to obtain qualitative, citizen co-created insights for the design of a communication campaign. An online study was conducted with 518 Uruguayan citizens, recruited using a Facebook advertisement. Participants were asked to answer a series of open-ended questions about how they would encourage other people to use the warnings for making their food choices, as well as the key contents of a communication campaign. Responses were analyzed using content analysis. Results showed that, according to the participants’ accounts, an effective public awareness campaign aimed at promoting the use of nutritional warnings in decision making should include three main concepts: (a) position warnings as a cue to action for improving eating habits by enabling informed choices; (b) emphasize the benefits of using the warnings for avoiding consumption of unhealthy food and, consequently, achieving a healthier diet and an improvement in health status and quality of life; and (c) increase the perceived susceptibility and severity of the negative consequences of consumption of foods with excessive content of sugar, fat, and sodium. A communication campaign based on these key concepts could contribute to increasing the efficacy of nutritional warnings.

A multi-country survey of public support for food policies to promote healthy diets: Findings from the International Food Policy Study

BACKGROUND

Poor diet is a significant contributor to the burden of global disease. There are numerous policies available to address poor diets; however, these policies often require public support to encourage policy action. The current study aimed to understand the level of public support for a range of food policies and the factors associated with policy support.

METHODS

An online survey measuring support for 13 food policies was completed by 19,857 adults in Australia, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). The proportion of respondents that supported each policy was compared between countries, and the association between demographic characteristics and policy support was analysed using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

The level of support varied between policies, with the highest support for policies that provided incentives (e.g., price subsidies) or information (e.g., calorie labelling on menus), and the lowest support for those that imposed restrictions (e.g., restrictions on sponsorship of sport events). This pattern of support was similar in all countries, but the level differed, with Mexico generally recording the highest support across policies, and the US the lowest. Several demographic characteristics were associated with policy support; however, these relationships varied between countries.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that support for food policies is influenced by several factors related to the policy design, country, and individual demographic characteristics. Policymakers and advocates should consider these factors when developing and promoting policy options.

Public acceptability of nudging and taxing to reduce consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and food: A population-based survey experiment

There is growing evidence for the effectiveness of choice architecture or 'nudge' interventions to change a range of behaviours including the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and food. Public acceptability is key to implementing these and other interventions. However, few studies have assessed public acceptability of these interventions, including the extent to which acceptability varies with the type of intervention, the target behaviour and with evidence of intervention effectiveness. These were assessed in an online study using a between-participants full factorial design with three factors: Policy (availability vs size vs labelling vs tax) x Behaviour (alcohol consumption vs tobacco use vs high-calorie snack food consumption) x Evidence communication (no message vs assertion of policy effectiveness vs assertion and quantification of policy effectiveness [e.g., a 10% change in behaviour]). Participants (N = 7058) were randomly allocated to one of the 36 groups. The primary outcome was acceptability of the policy. Acceptability differed across policy, behaviour and evidence communication (all ps < .001). Labelling was the most acceptable policy (supported by 78%) and Availability the least (47%). Tobacco use was the most acceptable behaviour to be targeted by policies (73%) compared with policies targeting Alcohol (55%) and Food (54%). Relative to the control group (60%), asserting evidence of effectiveness increased acceptability (63%); adding a quantification to this assertion did not significantly increase this further (65%). Public acceptability for nudges and taxes to improve population health varies with the behaviour targeted and the type of intervention but is generally favourable. Communicating that these policies are effective can increase support by a small but significant amount, suggesting that highlighting effectiveness could contribute to mobilising public demand for policies. While uncertainty remains about the strength of public support needed, this may help overcome political inertia and enable action on behaviours that damage population and planetary health.

European Rural Development Policy Approaching Health Issues: An Exploration of Programming Schemes

Malnutrition, obesity, type 2 diabetes, micronutrient deficiencies, and the increase in non-communicable diseases are among the future European key challenges in health and welfare. Agriculture and rural development policies can positively contribute to a healthier and nutritious supply of food. The objective of the research is to analyze to what extent European 2007-2013 and 2014-2020 rural development programmes address the nexus between agriculture, food, health, and nutrition to respond to the evolving dietary needs. The research carries out a quali-quantitative content analysis on all 210 European rural development programmes. Results show that the interconnection between agriculture, food, health, and nutrition is present, with differences in the European agricultural and rural policy programming periods. The main interlinking issues of the nexus are food safety, food quality, diseases, nutritional aspect, animal health and welfare, plant health, and environmental health. Healthier and nutritious food-related issues are emerging, addressing dietary needs, and sustaining consumer food trends. Healthy and nutritious food is pursued by combating foodborne communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases. The future Common Agricultural Policy, including its rural dimensions, should support the consumption of healthy foods produced in ways that are environmentally and economically sustainable.

Assessing general public and policy influencer support for healthy public policies to promote healthy eating at the population level in two Canadian provinces

Objective

To assess and compare the favourability of healthy public policy options to promote healthy eating from the perspective of members of the general public and policy influencers in two Canadian provinces.

Design

The Chronic Disease Prevention Survey, administered in 2016, required participants to rank their level of support for different evidence-based policy options to promote healthy eating at the population level. Pearson’s χ2 significance testing was used to compare support between groups for each policy option and results were interpreted using the Nuffield Council on Bioethics’ intervention ladder framework.

Setting

Alberta and Québec, Canada.

Participants

Members of the general public (n 2400) and policy influencers (n 302) in Alberta and Québec.

Results

General public and policy influencer survey respondents were more supportive of healthy eating policies if they were less intrusive on individual autonomy. However, in comparing levels of support between groups, we found policy influencers indicated significantly stronger support overall for healthy eating policy options. We also found that policy influencers in Québec tended to show more support for more restrictive policy options than their counterparts from Alberta.

Conclusions

These results suggest that additional knowledge brokering may be required to increase support for more intrusive yet impactful evidence-based policy interventions; and that the overall lower levels of support among members of the public may impede policy influencers from taking action on policies to promote healthy eating.

Hungry for more: key stakeholders' support for more stringent school food policies

OBJECTIVE

School food policies are an important component of comprehensive strategies to address child obesity and improve children's health. Evaluations have demonstrated that these policies can be initially well accepted and appropriately implemented, however little is known about how acceptance levels may change over time. The present study aimed to re-evaluate a school food policy 10 years after its introduction to assess key stakeholders' support for various policy extensions that would strengthen the scope of the policy.

DESIGN

Online surveys administered 1 year after policy introduction (n 607, 2008) and 10 years after policy introduction (n 307, 2016).

SETTING

Western Australia.ParticipantsSchool principals, teachers, canteen managers and presidents of parents &amp; citizens associations from Western Australian Government primary schools.

RESULTS

At both time points, and especially at time 2 (10 years post policy implementation), high levels of support were reported for the policy and possible policy extensions. Support was strongest for an additional requirement to integrate the canteen menu with the classroom health curriculum.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that once a policy has become embedded into school practices, stakeholders may be receptive to modifications that strengthen the policy to enhance its potential effects on children's diets.

Communicating quantitative evidence of policy effectiveness and support for the policy: Three experimental studies

Increasing the prices of products that harm health is an effective intervention for changing behaviour to improve health but public support for such interventions is generally low. The current paper investigates whether communicating evidence of a policy's effectiveness at tackling the focal problem could increase support. Across three studies we develop an infographic for communicating quantitative evidence of the effectiveness of a hypothetical tax to tackle childhood obesity. We investigate first, whether communicating evidence of effectiveness increases (a) perceived effectiveness (Studies 1,2,3) and (b) support for the policy, and second, whether any increase in perceived effectiveness mediates an increase in support (Studies 1 & 3). In all three studies (combined N = 9654) communicating evidence of effectiveness for the intervention increased perceived effectiveness. In Study 1, communicating evidence did not change support for the policy. Variations of the infographic were developed in Study 2 with one emerging as clearer and easier to comprehend. This infographic was therefore used in Study 3 in which it increased support for the tax from 45% to 49%, an effect that was mediated by perceived effectiveness. The effect sizes were small but probably meaningful at a population level. The results of these three studies suggest the potential for presenting quantitative evidence of intervention effectiveness to increase public support. Much uncertainty remains about the most effective ways of presenting this evidence, whether similar effects are achieved by presenting unquantified evidence and whether larger effects might be achieved by presenting information other than effectiveness.

A citizen perspective on nutritional warnings as front-of-pack labels: insights for the design of accompanying policy measures

Objective

Nutritional warnings have recently been suggested as a simplified front-of-pack nutrition labelling scheme to facilitate citizens’ ability to identify unhealthful products and discourage their consumption. However, citizens’ perspective on this policy is still under-researched. The objective of the present work was to study how citizens perceive nutritional warnings and to evaluate public support of this policy, with the goal of deriving recommendations for the design of policy measures accompanying the introduction of nutritional warnings.

Design

An online survey with 1416 Uruguayan citizens, aged 18–75 years, 61 % female, was conducted. Participants had to answer a series of questions (open-ended and multiple-choice) related to their perception of warnings as a front-of-package nutrition labelling scheme.

Results

Participants showed a positive attitude towards nutritional warnings, which were regarded as easy to understand and to identify on food packages. The majority of respondents emphasized that they would take nutritional warnings into account when making their food choices, stating that they would allow them to make informed choices and, consequently, to increase the quality of their diet and their health status. Health motivation appeared as a crucial driver for taking nutritional warnings into consideration.

Conclusions

A high level of public support for nutritional warnings was observed. Responses can be used to derive a range of recommendations for a policy mix that should synergistically support the introduction of nutritional warnings and encourage citizens to take them into account when making their food purchases.

Are young Canadians supportive of proposed nutrition policies and regulations? An overview of policy support and the impact of socio-demographic factors on public opinion

OBJECTIVES

Many countries, including Canada, are considering nutrition policies that seek to improve dietary behaviour and related health outcomes. The current study examined support for policy measures among youth and young adults in Canada.

METHODS

Participants aged 16-30 years were recruited for online surveys using in-person intercept sampling in five Canadian cities as part of the Canada Food Study conducted in October-December, 2016 (n = 2729). Items included support for 21 specific policies in seven key areas: menu labelling, food package symbols and warnings, school policies, taxation and subsidies, zoning restrictions, marketing bans, and food formulation. Linear regression models examined support by age, sex, city, race/ethnicity, parental status, body mass index (BMI), and health literacy.

RESULTS

Very high levels of support were observed for menu labelling in restaurants and schools, as well as food package symbols and warnings. Taxation, zoning restrictions (e.g., fast food and convenience stores near schools), and bans on marketing to children received relatively lower levels of support. In general, policy support increased with age for all 21 policies (p < 0.01) and greater health literacy for 4 policies (p < 0.05). Males were less supportive than females for 5 policies (p < 0.01). There were significant differences in support for specific race/ethnicity groups for 4 policies (p < 0.05). Support for menu labelling policies increased with BMI (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Overall, youth and young adults in Canada reported high levels of support for menu labelling, food package symbols/warnings, and school policies. Levels of support were generally consistent across socio-demographic subgroups, with some exceptions.