Local food environment policies: Identifying opportunities to support healthy food choices
The NCCEH Healthy Built Environment Online Forum Webinar Series provides an opportunity for learning and knowledge exchange through presentations and discussions on a variety of built environment topics. Webinar recordings are posted in the Healthy Built Environment Online Discussion Forum
Local food environment policies: Identifying opportunities to support healthy food choices
Presenter: Dr. Lana Vanderlee, Assistant Professor, University of Laval
Food environments are known to have a significant influence on food choices and diet quality, with important implications for the development of obesity and non-communicable disease. A range of government policies have been identified that are known to influence the availability, affordability and marketing of healthy (and less healthy) foods, and have the ability to shift the food environment towards one that is increasingly supportive of healthier dietary choices. Local governments are often the first to implement novel and innovative food environment policies, providing an important opportunity to test the feasibility and impact of such policies.
Drawing upon international efforts to monitor and evaluate food environments globally, the Local Food-Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) tool is a framework for evaluating local food environment policies, and can be used as a starting point for communities interested in evaluating gaps and opportunities to support the development of healthy, supportive food environments.
This presentation will provide an overview of the importance of food environment policies in supporting and promoting healthy diets, drawing on examples that have been implemented across a variety of jurisdictions. The presentation will also share findings from the Local Food-EPI study conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto to examine food environments in three jurisdictions in Ontario. Lastly, the presentation will explore other international efforts to support the implementation of local healthy, sustainable food environment policies that are being used by communities in Canada and elsewhere to support effective policy change, and ultimately improve dietary habits and overall health.