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 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.

Over the past few years the focus of obesity prevention has shifted to preschool children because of the high prevalence of obesity at school entry and recognition that habits formed in early life often persist into later life.

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.