Local urban government policies to facilitate healthy and environmentally sustainable diet-related practices: a scoping review.

Liza Barbour,Karen Charlton,Rebecca Lindberg,Julie Woods,Julie Brimblecombe

doi:10.1017/s1368980021004432

Abstract

This scoping review sought to describe the policy actions that urban local governments globally have implemented to facilitate healthy and environmentally sustainable diet-related practices. Urban local government authorities. Five databases were searched to identify publications which cited policies being implemented by local governments within the 199 signatory cities of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) that targeted at least one healthy and sustainable diet-related practice. Grey literature was then searched to retrieve associated policy documentation. Data from both sources were charted against the MUFPP's monitoring framework to analyse the policy actions included in each overarching policy. From 2624 screened peer-reviewed studies, 27 met inclusion criteria and cited 36 relevant policies amongst signatory cities to the MUFPP. Most were from high income countries (n 29; 81 %), considered health (n 31; 86 %), equity (n 29; 81 %) and the broader food system beyond dietary consumption (n 34; 94 %). Of the 66 policy actions described, the most common involved food procurement within public facilities (n 16; 44 %) and establishing guidelines for school-feeding programs (n 12; 33 %). This review has demonstrated that urban local government authorities are implementing policies that consider multiple phases of the food supply chain to facilitate population-wide uptake of healthy and sustainable diet-related practices. Opportunities exist for local governments to leverage the dual benefits to human and planetary health of policy actions, such as those which discourage the overconsumption of food including less meat consumption and the regulation of ultra-processed foods.

Highlights

Design: Five databases were searched to identify publications which cited policies being implemented by local governments within the 199 signatory cities of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) that targeted at least one healthy and sustainable diet-related practice
This review has demonstrated that urban local government authorities are implementing policies that consider multiple phases of the food supply chain to facilitate population-wide uptake of healthy and sustainable diet-related practices
A further 18 studies were excluded during the data extraction process as inadequate detail was provided about the setting, the policy or the outcome

Summary

Methods

A 5-staged approach for scoping reviews[19,20,21] was used with reporting conducted according to Preferred ReportingItems for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines[22,23]. A 5-staged approach for scoping reviews[19,20,21] was used with reporting conducted according to Preferred Reporting. Scoping review methodology was used due to the broad nature of the research question and to allow for an emerging body of research to be explored and evidence from diverse sources to be included, regardless of quality[22,24]. ‘Policy’ refers to the over-arching planned approach to achieve pre-determined, desired outcomes. ‘Policy actions’ refer to the activities included in the strategic plan developed in order to achieve the overarching policy objectives. ‘Healthy and sustainable diet-related practices’ refer to the specific activities that an individual engages in to source, store, prepare, consume and dispose of the food that makes up their overall diet. A municipality may have a Local Food System Strategy (policy), which includes a community garden (policy action) to promote increased consumption of locally grown fruit and vegetables (diet-related practice)

Results

Discussion

Conclusion