The study utilises the Food-EPI (Healthy Food Environment Policy Index) to increase governments' commitment to implement widely recommended food environment policies and reduce the burden of obesity and diet-related diseases.
The Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) was applied for the second time in New Zealand in 2017 (initially applied in 2014) to measure progress on implementation of widely recommended food environment policies. A national panel of 71 independent (n = 48) and government (n = 23) public health experts rated the extent of implementation of 47 policy and infrastructure support good practice indicators by the Government against international best practice, using an extensive evidence document verified by government officials. Experts proposed and prioritised concrete actions needed to address the critical implementation gaps identified. Approximately half (47%) of the indicators were rated as having 'low' or 'very little, if any' implementation compared to international benchmarks, a decrease since 2014 (60%). A lower proportion of infrastructure support (29%) compared to policy (70%) indicators were rated as having 'low' or 'very little, if any' implementation. The experts recommended 53 actions, prioritising nine for immediate implementation; three of those prioritised actions were the same as in 2014. The vast majority of experts agreed that the Food-EPI is likely to contribute to beneficial policy change and increased their knowledge about food environments and policies.
Search results for Framework: Monitor: 11
Implementation of healthy food environment policies to prevent nutrition-related non-communicable diseases in Ghana: National experts' assessment of government action
Policies to Create Healthier Food Environments in Canada: Experts' Evaluation and Prioritized Actions Using the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI)
An 11-country study to benchmark the implementation of recommended nutrition policies by national governments using the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index, 2015-2018
The INFORMAS healthy food environment policy index (Food-EPI) in Mexico: An assessment of implementation gaps and priority recommendations
Extent of implementation of food environment policies by the Malaysian Government: gaps and priority recommendations
Measuring and stimulating progress on implementing widely recommended food environment policies: the New Zealand case study
Changing the restaurant food environment to improve cardiovascular health in a rural community: implementation and evaluation of the Heart of New Ulm restaurant programme
Exploring sales data during a healthy corner store intervention in Toronto: the Food Retail Environments Shaping Health (FRESH) project
Level of implementation of best practice policies for creating healthy food environments: assessment by state and non-state actors in Thailand
Progress Evaluation for the Restaurant Industry Assessed by a Voluntary Marketing-Mix and Choice-Architecture Framework That Offers Strategies to Nudge American Customers toward Healthy Food Environments, 2006-2017
The healthy food environment policy index: findings of an expert panel in New Zealand