Food system & nutrition policy

Question 1

What is policy?

Answer 1

A course of principle of action adopted or proposed by an organisation or individual

What governments choose to do or not to do

Question 2

What policies influence the food system?

Answer 2

• Society (Education policy, labour policy)
• Environment (Food waste policy, climate policy, sustainable fishing policy)
• Health (Nutrition policy, food safety policy)
• Politics (Legislation)
• Economy (Trade policy, agriculture policy, competition policy)

Food chain - Innovation policy

Question 3

What are some government responsibilities for food policy?

Answer 3

• Health and social care
• Education
• Digital, culture, media and sport
• Treasury
• Work & pensions
• Food standard agency

Question 4

How can governments support healthy food preferences?

Answer 4

• Set food standards in school
• Provide healthy food to children
• Incentivise healthy food retailers to enter low income areas
• Change demand for healthier choices
• Restrict marketing to children
• Legislate for consumer-friendly nutrition labelling
• Tax unhealthy foods
• Redesign the choices available at point of sale and increase the availability of healthy options
• Invest in infrastructure for producing healthier foods
• Subsidise healthy foods to increase availability/ affordability
• Regulate to prevent positioning of unhealthy food outlets where children gather

Question 5

What 4 domains are integrated into food policy?

Answer 5

• Agriculture
• Nutrition
• Standards
• Industry

Question 6

How has food policy evolved?

Answer 6

1950s - Producing enough food and a national level
1960s - Pesticides, fertilisers and irrigation, rapid growth, increased diversity
1970s - Economic growth, income to tackle malnutrition
1980s - Food security
1990s - Health inequalities
2000s - Obesity related and nutrition transition
2010s - Health and sustainability
2020s - Climate change/ emergency

Question 7

Who or what influences, controls or monitors food policy?

Answer 7

UK:

• Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
• Food Standards Agency (FSA)

European:

• European Food Safety Authority
• Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

Question 8

What are some food-based guidelines for individuals?

Answer 8

• Eatwell guide - key nutrition policy tool for health professionals
• Global review of food based dietary guidelines

Question 9

What effects food supply?

Answer 9

• Brexit
• Food shortages
• Food production
• Weather (crops and agriculture)
• Biotechnology (chemical input

Question 10

What percentage of people in the UK live in food poverty?

Answer 10

22%

Question 11

What factors make up a healthy sustainable food system?

Answer 11

• Food industry
• Public health and medicine
• Communities, worksites and schools
• Individuals and families
• Agricultural industry
• Policy, global, federal state and local