Policies to promote healthy eating in Europe: a structured review of policies and their effectiveness

Capacci, S., Mazzocchi, M., Shankar , B., Brambila Macias, J., Verbeke, W., Pérez-Cueto , F. J. A., Kozioł-Kozakowska, A., Piórecka, B., Niedzwiedzka, B., D’Addesa, D., Saba, A., Turrini, A., Aschemann-Witzel, J., Bech-Larsen, T., Strand, M., Wills, J. and Traill, B. (2012) Policies to promote healthy eating in Europe: a structured review of policies and their effectiveness. Nutrition Reviews, 70 (3). pp. 188-200. ISSN 1753-4887 doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00442.x

Abstract/Summary

This review provides a classification of public policies to promote healthier eating as well as a structured mapping of existing measures in Europe. Complete coverage of alternative policy types was ensured by complementing the review with a selection of major interventions from outside Europe. Under the auspices of the Seventh Framework Programme's Eatwell Project, funded by the European Commission, researchers from five countries reviewed a representative selection of policy actions based on scientific papers, policy documents, grey literature, government websites, other policy reviews, and interviews with policy-makers. This work resulted in a list of 129 policy interventions, 121 of which were in Europe. For each type of policy, a critical review of its effectiveness was conducted, based on the evidence currently available. The results of this review indicate a need exists for a more systematic and accurate evaluation of government-level interventions as well as for a stronger focus on actual behavioral change rather than changes in attitude or intentions alone. The currently available evidence is very heterogeneous across policy types and is often incomplete.