The first INFORMAS national food environments and policies survey in New Zealand: A blueprint country profile for measuring progress on creating healthy food environments.

Abstract

The International Network for Food and Obesity/NCDs Research, Monitoring and Action Support aims to benchmark national food environments. This study proposes a blueprint country profile to measure progress on creating healthy food environments, based on the results of the first, comprehensive survey in New Zealand (NZ). We assessed the implementation of national food environment policies and food industry commitments to improve population nutrition and the strength and comprehensiveness of public sector settings' nutrition policies. The healthiness of the packaged food supply, including health-related labelling, was evaluated. Food environments were measured in 833 schools, 204 supermarkets, 1500 takeaway outlets, 28 hospitals, 70 sport centres, and around all NZ schools. Food swamps, defined as areas with high relative density of unhealthy food outlets, were identified, and food marketing to children on television, websites, social media and packages, in magazines, and in and around schools was measured. The cost differential between healthy and current household diets was calculated for different population groups. NZ's food environment profile is largely unhealthy, and there are inequalities in access to healthy food environments. It is anticipated that the proposed country profile can help other countries tackle unhealthy food environments through increasing accountability of governments and the industry.