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Lesch M, McCambridge J. Continuities and change in alcohol policy at the global level: a documentary analysis of the 2010 Global Strategy for Reducing the Harmful Use of Alcohol and the Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022-2030. Global Health 2024; 20:47. [PMID: 38877515 PMCID: PMC11179290 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-024-01034-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are only two major statements which define alcohol policy development at the global level. There has not been any comparative analysis of the details of these key texts, published in 2010 and 2022 respectively, including how far they constitute similar or evolving approaches to alcohol harm. METHODS Preparatory data collection involved examination of documents associated with the final policy statements. A thematic analysis across the two policy documents was performed to generate understanding of continuity and change based on comparative study. Study findings are interpreted in the contexts of the evolving conceptual and empirical literatures. RESULTS Both documents exhibit shared guiding principles and identify similar governance challenges, albeit with varying priority levels. There is more emphasis on the high-impact interventions on price, availability and marketing in 2022, and more stringent targets have been set for 2030 in declaring alcohol as a public health priority therein, reflecting the action-oriented nature of the Plan. The identified roles of policy actors have largely remained unchanged, albeit with greater specificity in the more recent statement, appropriately so because it is concerned with implementation. The major exception, and the key difference in the documents, regards the alcohol industry, which is perceived primarily as a threat to public health in 2022 due to commercial activities harmful to health and because policy interference has slowed progress. CONCLUSIONS The adoption of the Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022-30 potentially marks a pivotal moment in global alcohol policy development, though it is unclear how fully it may be implemented. Perhaps, the key advances lie in advancing the ambitions of alcohol policy and clearly identifying that the alcohol industry should not be seen as any kind of partner in public health policymaking, which will permit progress to the extent that this influences what actually happens in alcohol policy at the national level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Lesch
- Department of Politics and International Relations, Derwent College, University of York, D/N/126, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
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Lesch M, McCambridge J. Evolution of the major alcohol companies key global policy vehicle through the prism of tax records 2011-19. Global Health 2023; 19:34. [PMID: 37226209 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-023-00933-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Important insights have been generated into the nature of the activities of the International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP). Its successor, the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) is less well understood. This study aims to rectify evidence limitations on the political activities of the alcohol industry at the global level. METHODS Internal Revenue Service filings were examined for ICAP and IARD each year between 2011 and 2019. Data were triangulated with other sources to establish what could be gleaned on the internal workings of these organisations. RESULTS The stated purposes of ICAP and IARD are near identical. The main declared activities were similar for both organisations and comprised public affairs/policy, corporate social responsibility, science/research and communications. Both organisations work extensively with external actors and it has become possible more recently to identify the main contractors supplying services to IARD. DISCUSSION This study sheds light on the political activities of the alcohol industry at the global level. It suggests that the evolution of ICAP into IARD has not been accompanied by shifts in the organisation and activities of the collaborative efforts of the major alcohol companies. CONCLUSION Alcohol and global health research and policy agendas should give careful attention to the sophisticated nature of industry political activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Lesch
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences Area 4, A/TB/212, University of York, Seebohm Rowntree Building, Heslington, YO10 5DD, York, UK.
| | - Jim McCambridge
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences Area 4, A/TB/212, University of York, Seebohm Rowntree Building, Heslington, YO10 5DD, York, UK
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Lesch M, McCambridge J. Distilling the distillers: examining the political activities of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Global Health 2023; 19:22. [PMID: 36991443 PMCID: PMC10054220 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-023-00923-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding of the alcohol industry's means of influencing public policy is increasingly well established. Less is known, however, about the specific organisations that lead the political strategies of the alcohol industry. To fill this gap, this paper explores the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), a key trade association in the United States (US), which also operates internationally. METHODS This study explores how DISCUS is organised and the main political activities it pursues to advance its policy interests. The study triangulates data from several sources, including DISCUS documents, as well as federal lobbying and election expenditure data. RESULTS This study demonstrates that DISCUS is a key political actor in the US and global alcohol policymaking context. There are identifiable strategies used by DISCUS to shape alcohol policy debates, including framing and lobbying. We also find key synergies between these strategies and identify their operation at varying levels of policy decision-making. CONCLUSIONS Generating more secure inferences about the nature of the alcohol industry's efforts to advance its interests, and with what success and at what cost, requires researchers to investigate other trade associations in different contexts, and use other data sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Lesch
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK.
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McGill E, Marks D, Petticrew M, Egan M. Addressing alcohol-related harms in the local night-time economy: a qualitative process evaluation from a complex systems perspective. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e050913. [PMID: 36008081 PMCID: PMC9422880 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES English local authorities (LAs) are interested in reducing alcohol-related harms and may use discretionary powers such as the Late Night Levy (LNL) to do so. This study aims to describe how system stakeholders hypothesise the levy may generate changes and to explore how the system, its actors and the intervention adapt and co-evolve over time. DESIGN A process evaluation from a complex systems perspective, using qualitative methods. SETTING A London LA with high densities of residential and commercial properties, which implemented the LNL in 2014. PARTICIPANTS Data were generated through interviews with LNL implementers and alcohol consumers, observations in bars and during LNL patrols and documentary review. INTERVENTION The LNL allows LAs to charge late-night alcohol retailers an annual fee (£299-£4440) to manage and police the night-time economy (NTE). RESULTS When the LNL was being considered, stakeholders from different interest groups advanced diverse opinions about its likely impacts while rarely referencing supporting research evidence. Proponents of the levy argued it could reduce crime and anti-social behaviour by providing additional funds to police and manage the NTE. Critics of the levy hypothesised adverse consequences linked to claims that the intervention would force venues to vary their hours or close, cluster closing times, reduce NTE diversity and undermine public-private partnerships. In the first 2 years, levy-funded patrols developed relationships with the licensed trade and the public. The LNL did not undermine public-private partnerships and while some premises varied their hours, these changes did not undermine the intervention's viability, nor significantly cluster venue closing times, nor obviously damage the area's reputation for having a diverse NTE. CONCLUSIONS This study applies a framework for process evaluation from a complex systems perspective. The evaluation could be extended to measure alcohol-related outcomes and to consider the interplay between the national and local systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth McGill
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Dalya Marks
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Mark Petticrew
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Matt Egan
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Rinaldi C. Public-Private Partnerships With Unhealthy Commodity Industries: Are They Undermining Real Progress in Non-communicable Disease Prevention? Comment on "Competing Frames in Global Health Governance: An Analysis of Stakeholder Influence on the Political Declaration on Non-communicable Diseases". Int J Health Policy Manag 2022; 11:1212-1214. [PMID: 37579346 PMCID: PMC9808179 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2021.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) and whole-of-society approaches are increasingly common in public health promotion and non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention, despite a lack of evidence in favour of their effectiveness in improving health outcomes. While PPPs may have advantages, they also give industry actors more influence over the design and implementation of public health strategies and interventions. Partnering with unhealthy commodity industries in particular - including the alcohol and ultra-processed food and beverages industries - can pose significant risks to public health due to these industries' deep-rooted conflicts of interest. In this commentary, I reiterate Suzuki and colleagues' message about the importance of assessing and managing conflicts of interest before engaging with non-state actors through PPPs or other forms of engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Rinaldi
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Industry influence over global alcohol policies via the World Trade Organization: a qualitative analysis of discussions on alcohol health warning labelling, 2010–19. Lancet Glob Health 2022; 10:e429-e437. [DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(21)00570-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Crawford G, Connor E, Scuderi M, Hallett J, Leavy JE. Framing the nanny (state): an analysis of public submissions to a parliamentary inquiry on personal choice and community safety. Aust N Z J Public Health 2021; 46:127-133. [PMID: 34762350 DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.13178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine public submissions to a parliamentary inquiry on personal choice and community safety, exploring framing used to support or oppose current public health regulatory approaches. METHODS Descriptive content analysis summarised the characteristics of electronic submissions. Framing analysis examined submissions according to the devices: problem and causes; principles and values; recommendations; data and evidence; and salience. RESULTS We categorised one hundred and five (n=105) submissions by source as Individual, Industry, Public Health and Other. Individuals made more than half the submissions. Overarching frames were choice and rights (Individuals); progress and freedom (Industry); protection and responsibility (Public Health). Most submissions opposed current regulations. Cycling, including mandatory helmet legislation, was most cited, with three-quarters of submissions opposing current legislation. CONCLUSIONS Framing analysis provided insights into policy actor agendas concerning government regulation. We found a high degree of resistance to public health regulation that curtails individual autonomy across various health issues. Investigating the influence of different frames on community perception of public health regulation is warranted. Implications for public health: Action is required to counteract 'nanny state' framing by industry and to problematise community understanding of the 'nanny state' in the context of balancing the public's liberties and the public's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Crawford
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia.,School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia
| | - Elizabeth Connor
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia
| | - Mikaela Scuderi
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia
| | - Jonathan Hallett
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia.,School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia
| | - Justine E Leavy
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia.,School of Population Health, Curtin University, Western Australia
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Fong M, Scott S, Albani V, Adamson A, Kaner E. 'Joining the Dots': Individual, Sociocultural and Environmental Links between Alcohol Consumption, Dietary Intake and Body Weight-A Narrative Review. Nutrients 2021; 13:2927. [PMID: 34578805 PMCID: PMC8472815 DOI: 10.3390/nu13092927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol is energy-dense, elicits weak satiety responses relative to solid food, inhibits dietary fat oxidation, and may stimulate food intake. It has, therefore, been proposed as a contributor to weight gain and obesity. The aim of this narrative review was to consolidate and critically appraise the evidence on the relationship of alcohol consumption with dietary intake and body weight, within mainstream (non-treatment) populations. Publications were identified from a PubMed keyword search using the terms 'alcohol', 'food', 'eating', 'weight', 'body mass index', 'obesity', 'food reward', 'inhibition', 'attentional bias', 'appetite', 'culture', 'social'. A snowball method and citation searches were used to identify additional relevant publications. Reference lists of relevant publications were also consulted. While limited by statistical heterogeneity, pooled results of experimental studies showed a relatively robust association between acute alcohol intake and greater food and total energy intake. This appears to occur via metabolic and psychological mechanisms that have not yet been fully elucidated. Evidence on the relationship between alcohol intake and weight is equivocal. Most evidence was derived from cross-sectional survey data which does not allow for a cause-effect relationship to be established. Observational research evidence was limited by heterogeneity and methodological issues, reducing the certainty of the evidence. We found very little qualitative work regarding the social, cultural, and environmental links between concurrent alcohol intake and eating behaviours. That the evidence of alcohol intake and body weight remains uncertain despite no shortage of research over the years, indicates that more innovative research methodologies and nuanced analyses are needed to capture what is clearly a complex and dynamic relationship. Also, given synergies between 'Big Food' and 'Big Alcohol' industries, effective policy solutions are likely to overlap and a unified approach to policy change may be more effective than isolated efforts. However, joint action may not occur until stronger evidence on the relationship between alcohol intake, food intake and weight is established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie Fong
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 4LP1, UK; (S.S.); (V.A.); (A.A.); (E.K.)
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van Schalkwyk MCI, Maani N, Pettigrew S, Petticrew M. Corporate ventriloquism undermines action on alcohol harms. BMJ 2021; 374:n1879. [PMID: 34344716 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.n1879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- May C I van Schalkwyk
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Nason Maani
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- SPECTRUM Consortium, UK
| | - Simone Pettigrew
- George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Petticrew
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- SPECTRUM Consortium, UK
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