A policy perspective on promoting healthy diets to consumers through product information

Abstract

Governments play an essential role in creating a healthy food environment and regulating the information available to consumers on which they can base their food choices. Over the past few decades, the policy environment has encouraged the production of high-energy, nutrientpoor foods. This may have been caused by the focus since the 1970s on the production of sufficient energy, because food insecurity is still a reality in the world today. Diets developed into monotonous food choices, devoid of diversity and with an increased intake of energydense foods, which are high fat, salt and sugar. Over time these diets have led to a high incidence of obesity and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The impact of obesity and NCDs has caught the attention of policy makers because it puts pressure on the health care system and has a serious economic impact. Research has shown that nutrition-sensitive policies may be a key tool to improve the healthiness of the food environment. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (2004) compelled governments to subscribe to actions to decrease the high rates of obesity and related NCDs. South Africa (SA) became a signatory of this document. However, so far SA is not yet part of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement which aims to unite governments, civil society, the United Nations (UN), private sector and academia in an effort to improve nutrition for all people. This study aimed to evaluate the state of nutrition-sensitive policy in SA by determining and evaluating the broader nutrition policy framework and investigating two of the identified policies (labelling and food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs)) in more detail, focusing particularly on dairy products. The study found that some nutrition-sensitive policies have been introduced in SA, which include the implementation of FBDGs in 2001, food labelling regulations (2012), some degree of food composition policy since 2012, the tax exemption of some healthy foods (2010) and a national NCD policy (2013). The revised FBDGs were published in 2012 and include a separate guideline for milk, maas and yoghurt, thus encouraging the consumption of these dairy products as part of a prudent diet. The publication of new labelling regulations in 2010 caused a change in the availability of product information on yoghurt labels between 2009 and 2013, namely a significant decrease in health benefit claims. The decrease in health benefit claims now limits health and nutritionrelated information available to consumers to base food choices on. The cultural role of maas in the South African diet and the change in the nutritional profile of maas over time was also determined in this study. The study found that maas, a traditional South African food product, forms part of the heritage of many South Africans. It was also found that the nutritional profile of maas has changed significantly over the past 20 years. However, it is still a good source of protein, fat and calcium in the diet. The study concluded that maas remains a culturally relevant and nutritious product which is rightly included in the FBDGs. Even though these policy tools have been implemented, gaps in nutrition-sensitive policies and infrastructure remain, including the promotion of and education relating to healthy foods, governance, leadership and monitoring of policy. These gaps must be addressed urgently by means of a multi-sectorial approach towards creating a healthier food environment and increasing the availability of product information to consumers, to ensure that the incidences of undernutrition, obesity and NCDs are addressed and if possible, eliminated.