How can local authorities and the public use existing policy levers more effectively to shape a ‘healthier food environment’?
Research Team: Professor Karen Lock, Lesley Mountford, Dr Jean Adams, Dr Amelia Lake, Dr Suzanne Spence, Professor Steve Cummins, Dr Jo Reynolds, Dr Matt Egan, Dr Suzanne Taylor & Professor Mark Petticrew
Who's involved: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fuse & University of Cambridge
July 2018 - June 2019
Local Authorities have taken the lead for tackling rising local obesity rates in England. This research aims to identify, map and explore the use of policy levers and interventions that can be used to influence population health change, in the common local food system across English Local Authorities (LA).
This will be done by developing an understanding of how LA policymakers in a range of sectors (e.g. PH, planning, licencing, environmental health, trading standards), and the public, interpret the problem of food and healthy diets, and the relationship to obesity and other health outcomes, at a local level.
Workshops will be used to involve practitioners in a range of LA sectors (e.g. planning, PH, environmental health, trading standards, licencing) and the public, to identify and map statutory and voluntary local levers that are, or could be used, to influence the local food environment for improving health outcomes.
Case study research of relevant LA and communities will be explored to identify the factors that led to successful outcomes and the challenges. The research will produce outputs relevant to LA practitioners to assist in the effective use of policy levers and to explore what additional powers or policies might be necessary for health-promoting change in local food systems.
Reducing obesity requires a change in what and how we eat. The ‘Foodscape’ study aimed to identify effective interventions to change the meals offered by takeaways, test them in the real world and evaluate their potential for improving diets and /or reducing obesity.
October 2013 - March 2017
This research aims to identify, map and explore the use of policy levers and interventions that can be used to influence population health change, in the common local food system across English Local Authorities (LA).
July 2018 - June 2019
This project complements the Foodscape Project previously funded by SPHR. Whilst the Foodscape project focused on changing what food is served in takeaways, this new project will focus on local authority action to restrict the rapid increase of hot-food takeaways.
November 2017 - February 2019
