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How food regulations help or hinder the implementation of policies to promote healthy population diets: a review of food regulations in the Western Pacific Region.

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Title: How food regulations help or hinder the implementation of policies to promote healthy population diets: a review of food regulations in the Western Pacific Region.
Authors: Fries K; https://ror.org/02czsnj07Deakin University, Burwood, Australia., Backholer K; https://ror.org/02czsnj07Deakin University, Burwood, Australia., Jones A; The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia., Sing F; University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand., Reeve E; https://ror.org/02czsnj07Deakin University, Burwood, Australia.
Source: Public health nutrition [Public Health Nutr] 2025 Dec 26; Vol. 29 (1), pp. e13. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Dec 26.
Publication Type: Journal Article; Review
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Cambridge University Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9808463 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1475-2727 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 13689800 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Public Health Nutr Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: <2007- > : Oxford : Cambridge University Press
Original Publication: Wallingford, Oxon, UK : Published on behalf of the Nutrition Society by CAB International, c1998-
MeSH Terms: Nutrition Policy*/legislation & jurisprudence , Health Promotion*/legislation & jurisprudence , Diet, Healthy* , Legislation, Food*, Noncommunicable Diseases/prevention & control ; Food Labeling/legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; Nutritive Value
Abstract: Objective: Governments are seeking to regulate food environments to promote health by restricting sales and marketing of processed foods high in fat, sugar and sodium. We aimed to evaluate whether the legal instruments in member states of the Western Pacific Region (WPR) mandate the declaration of nutrient composition for nutrients of concern in relation to Codex Alimentarius and non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention.
Design: We undertook content analysis of legal instruments governing food quality and safety, documenting mandates for nutrient declarations in the WPR. Legal instruments were purposefully sourced through a systematic search of regional legal databases and Google. We performed qualitative and quantitative analysis, using an adapted version of Reeve and Magnusson's Framework for Analysing and Improving the Performance of Regulatory Instruments.
Setting: Legal instruments governing food quality and safety in twenty-eight member states of the WPR.
Results: There was substantial variation in the nutrient declaration mandates within legal instruments, with only three out of twenty-eight countries mandating nutrient declarations in full alignment with Codex recommendations (energy, protein, available carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat, sodium and total sugars). Just four countries mandated the display of sodium, sugar, saturated fat and trans-fats, in line with NCD prevention recommendations. Sodium labelling was mandated in ten countries, sugar in seven and saturated fat in six.
Conclusions: There is scope for countries to strengthen legal instruments for nutrient declarations to better support diet-related NCD prevention efforts. Regional support agencies can play a key role in promoting greater policy coherence and alignment with international best practice.
References: Adv Nutr. 2023 Nov;14(6):1499-1522. (PMID: 37659696)
Obes Rev. 2013 Nov;14 Suppl 2:159-68. (PMID: 24103073)
Public Health Nutr. 2018 Aug;21(12):2267-2270. (PMID: 29506593)
Lancet. 2011 Aug 27;378(9793):804-14. (PMID: 21872749)
Obes Rev. 2024 Feb;25(2):e13651. (PMID: 37905309)
Int J Equity Health. 2022 Oct 15;21(1):148. (PMID: 36242079)
Global Health. 2021 Oct 2;17(1):118. (PMID: 34600556)
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 13;17(20):. (PMID: 33066255)
BMJ Glob Health. 2019 Dec 14;4(6):e001882. (PMID: 31908864)
Public Health Nutr. 2021 Dec;24(17):5927-5940. (PMID: 34313211)
Health Promot Int. 2018 Aug 1;33(4):561-571. (PMID: 28082373)
Nutr J. 2022 Feb 2;21(1):8. (PMID: 35105346)
Health Policy Plan. 2021 Feb 16;35(10):1424-1431. (PMID: 33175972)
Public Health Nutr. 2021 Sep;24(13):4358-4368. (PMID: 34008486)
Health Place. 2012 Sep;18(5):1172-87. (PMID: 22717379)
BMJ. 2018 Jun 13;361:k2426. (PMID: 29898890)
J Hypertens. 2018 Jan;36(1):188-198. (PMID: 28806351)
BMC Public Health. 2022 Mar 4;22(1):433. (PMID: 35246074)
Nutrients. 2019 Jan 25;11(2):. (PMID: 30691024)
Nutrients. 2020 Jun 06;12(6):. (PMID: 32517284)
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2011;20(1):1-8. (PMID: 21393103)
BMC Public Health. 2024 Nov 20;24(1):3219. (PMID: 39563268)
Bull World Health Organ. 2021 Dec 1;99(12):865-873. (PMID: 34866682)
Implement Sci. 2018 Aug 6;13(1):107. (PMID: 30081926)
Front Public Health. 2020 Nov 26;8:574111. (PMID: 33324597)
Soc Sci Med. 2021 Mar;273:113761. (PMID: 33621752)
Global Health. 2020 Jan 3;16(1):3. (PMID: 31900178)
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Non-communicable disease prevention; Nutrition policy; Population health; Public health
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20251226 Date Completed: 20260121 Latest Revision: 20260214
Update Code: 20260214
PubMed Central ID: PMC12895442
DOI: 10.1017/S1368980025101687
PMID: 41451663
Database: MEDLINE
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  Data: How food regulations help or hinder the implementation of policies to promote healthy population diets: a review of food regulations in the Western Pacific Region.
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– Name: Abstract
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  Group: Ab
  Data: Objective: Governments are seeking to regulate food environments to promote health by restricting sales and marketing of processed foods high in fat, sugar and sodium. We aimed to evaluate whether the legal instruments in member states of the Western Pacific Region (WPR) mandate the declaration of nutrient composition for nutrients of concern in relation to Codex Alimentarius and non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention.&lt;br /&gt;Design: We undertook content analysis of legal instruments governing food quality and safety, documenting mandates for nutrient declarations in the WPR. Legal instruments were purposefully sourced through a systematic search of regional legal databases and Google. We performed qualitative and quantitative analysis, using an adapted version of Reeve and Magnusson&#39;s Framework for Analysing and Improving the Performance of Regulatory Instruments.&lt;br /&gt;Setting: Legal instruments governing food quality and safety in twenty-eight member states of the WPR.&lt;br /&gt;Results: There was substantial variation in the nutrient declaration mandates within legal instruments, with only three out of twenty-eight countries mandating nutrient declarations in full alignment with Codex recommendations (energy, protein, available carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat, sodium and total sugars). Just four countries mandated the display of sodium, sugar, saturated fat and trans-fats, in line with NCD prevention recommendations. Sodium labelling was mandated in ten countries, sugar in seven and saturated fat in six.&lt;br /&gt;Conclusions: There is scope for countries to strengthen legal instruments for nutrient declarations to better support diet-related NCD prevention efforts. Regional support agencies can play a key role in promoting greater policy coherence and alignment with international best practice.
– Name: Ref
  Label: References
  Group: RefInfo
  Data: Adv Nutr. 2023 Nov;14(6):1499-1522. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2237659696%22&quot;&gt;37659696)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Obes Rev. 2013 Nov;14 Suppl 2:159-68. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2224103073%22&quot;&gt;24103073)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Public Health Nutr. 2018 Aug;21(12):2267-2270. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2229506593%22&quot;&gt;29506593)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Lancet. 2011 Aug 27;378(9793):804-14. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2221872749%22&quot;&gt;21872749)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Obes Rev. 2024 Feb;25(2):e13651. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2237905309%22&quot;&gt;37905309)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Int J Equity Health. 2022 Oct 15;21(1):148. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2236242079%22&quot;&gt;36242079)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Global Health. 2021 Oct 2;17(1):118. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2234600556%22&quot;&gt;34600556)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 13;17(20):. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2233066255%22&quot;&gt;33066255)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;BMJ Glob Health. 2019 Dec 14;4(6):e001882. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2231908864%22&quot;&gt;31908864)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Public Health Nutr. 2021 Dec;24(17):5927-5940. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2234313211%22&quot;&gt;34313211)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Health Promot Int. 2018 Aug 1;33(4):561-571. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2228082373%22&quot;&gt;28082373)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Nutr J. 2022 Feb 2;21(1):8. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2235105346%22&quot;&gt;35105346)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Health Policy Plan. 2021 Feb 16;35(10):1424-1431. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2233175972%22&quot;&gt;33175972)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Public Health Nutr. 2021 Sep;24(13):4358-4368. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2234008486%22&quot;&gt;34008486)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Health Place. 2012 Sep;18(5):1172-87. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2222717379%22&quot;&gt;22717379)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;BMJ. 2018 Jun 13;361:k2426. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2229898890%22&quot;&gt;29898890)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;J Hypertens. 2018 Jan;36(1):188-198. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2228806351%22&quot;&gt;28806351)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;BMC Public Health. 2022 Mar 4;22(1):433. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2235246074%22&quot;&gt;35246074)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Nutrients. 2019 Jan 25;11(2):. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2230691024%22&quot;&gt;30691024)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Nutrients. 2020 Jun 06;12(6):. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2232517284%22&quot;&gt;32517284)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2011;20(1):1-8. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2221393103%22&quot;&gt;21393103)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;BMC Public Health. 2024 Nov 20;24(1):3219. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2239563268%22&quot;&gt;39563268)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Bull World Health Organ. 2021 Dec 1;99(12):865-873. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2234866682%22&quot;&gt;34866682)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Implement Sci. 2018 Aug 6;13(1):107. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2230081926%22&quot;&gt;30081926)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Front Public Health. 2020 Nov 26;8:574111. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2233324597%22&quot;&gt;33324597)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Soc Sci Med. 2021 Mar;273:113761. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2233621752%22&quot;&gt;33621752)&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Global Health. 2020 Jan 3;16(1):3. (PMID: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;PM&quot; term=&quot;%2231900178%22&quot;&gt;31900178)&lt;/searchLink&gt;
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Food Labeling legislation & jurisprudence
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