Public policy measures to manage nutrition-related health risks

Abstract

Introduction. Modern diets characterized by high consumption of ultra-processed foods and reduced physical activity are leading to poor health outcomes and increased premature mortality, as well as higher health care costs. This requires that governments implement more effective models of public management in the field of nutrition which require evaluation of the impact of each management tool, as well as their cumulative effects. Objective. To summarize and characterize the key public policies that exist worldwide to reduce the risks of diet-related non-communicable diseases. Materials and methods. A content analysis of scientific and internet publications on nutrition and dietary management was used. Discussion. A common set of policy tools for many countries includes fiscal policy measures, quality standardization and food labeling, public education, financial incentives for responsible food behavior, development of national recommendations for healthy eating and its promotion, etc. Recently, these approaches have begun to rely on epidemiological monitoring data and studies evaluating the effectiveness of a particular type of intervention. Not all of the existing interventions are equally effective. Therefore, when choosing policy instruments, it is necessary to consider their potential, as well as their level of impact: individual, socio-cultural, industrial, governmental, etc. Conclusion. Rationalization of nutrition is the most important element of social policy of the state and one of the factors in the formation of a healthy lifestyle. This indicates the need for a comprehensive science-based systematic approach to solving problems in the field of healthy eating. The implementation of policy in this area should be based on scientific evidence, with the involvement of business and a wide range of the public, on the principle of interagency cooperation and taking into account multi-level factors that affect the formation of individual and population model of food behavior.