Slow and steady-small, but insufficient, changes in food and drink availability after four years of implementing a healthy food policy in New Zealand hospitals.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A voluntary National Healthy Food and Drink Policy (the Policy) was introduced in public hospitals in New Zealand in 2016. This study assessed the changes in implementation of the Policy and its impact on providing healthier food and drinks for staff and visitors in four district health boards between 1 and 5 years after the initial Policy introduction.

Methods

Repeat, cross-sectional audits were undertaken at the same eight sites in four district health boards between April and August 2017 and again between January and September 2021. In 2017, there were 74 retail settings audited (and 99 in 2021), comprising 27 (34 in 2021) serviced food outlets and 47 (65 in 2021) vending machines. The Policy's traffic light criteria were used to classify 2652 items in 2017 and

SUBMITTER: Mackay S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11462770 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature