Abstract
ObjectiveTo review the publicly available policies and commitments of selected food companies in Thailand relating to obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) prevention, and to assess these stated policies and commitments against global recommendations.MethodsNineteen food and beverage companies, including 13 packaged food, three non-alcoholic beverage, two food retailer, and one fast food company were selected, based on their market share by sector and food category. A review of publicly available policies and commitments related to four domains (product reformulation, food marketing, nutrition information and food accessibility) was carried out for each company. Content analysis of all data was conducted, including a comparison of policy content against global recommendations in each domain.ResultsEleven companies (58%) reported at least one policy or commitment across the four domains. The packaged food companies reported policies in all four domains while the beverage companies committed to implement policies in all except the accessibility domain. The food retailers and fast food company only had policies in the reformulation and nutrition information domains. Very few of the policies and commitments covered all of the recommended components in each domain, and most lacked sufficient specificity to allow detailed monitoring and evaluation.ConclusionA small number of the most prominent food companies in Thailand have several nutrition-related policies in place. However, these policies do not sufficiently cover recommended areas for NCD and obesity prevention. Moreover, the extent to which policy statements translate to implementation has yet to be evaluated. Successful implementation of nutrition-related policies by the food industry in Thailand will likely require concrete, measurable indicators to guide both corporate policy making as well as public monitoring. The Thailand Government requires greater capacity to establish effective multi-sector platforms for NCD prevention, and to evaluate food companies’ policies and enforce compliance both with regulations and voluntary commitments.
Highlights
Burdens of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are affecting countries worldwide [1, 2], and increasingly developing countries [2], including Thailand [3]
The study protocol was adapted from the approach developed by INFORMAS for assessing private sector policies and commitments related to obesity and NCD prevention [24]
The Thai Expert Advisory Group (TEAG) consisted of two senior government officials, three university professors and three leaders of non-governmental organisations, who have direct experience in food and health-related policy making or delivery in Thailand, including monitoring private sector performance
Summary
Burdens of obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are affecting countries worldwide [1, 2], and increasingly developing countries [2], including Thailand [3]. While there has been a gradual decrease in the prevalence of under-nutrition across the Thai population, the extent of over-nutrition has increased. Components of food environments, such as food availability, affordability and promotion, play an important role in influencing eating behaviours of individuals and populations [4, 5]. Large food companies have a dominating presence in food environments globally, including major growth in the Global South in recent years [6]. Food environments in Thailand have changed dramatically. Sales of savoury snacks grew by 27.0% from 71,800 metric tons in 2011 to 91,200 metic tons in 2016, while the soft drinks market grew by 26.9% from 2.7 billion litres in 2010 to 3.4 billion litres in 2015 [7]
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