An Assessment of Government Capacity Building to Restrict the Marketing of Unhealthy Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Products to Children in the Region of the Americas

Sofía Rincón-Gallardo Patiño, Fabio Da Silva Gomes, Steven Constantinou, Robin Lemaire, Valisa E. Hedrick, Elena L. Serrano and Vivica I. Kraak
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Sofía Rincón-Gallardo Patiño: Department of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization, Washington, DC 20037, USA
Fabio Da Silva Gomes: Department of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization, Washington, DC 20037, USA
Steven Constantinou: Department of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization, Washington, DC 20037, USA
Robin Lemaire: Center for Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
Valisa E. Hedrick: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
Elena L. Serrano: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
Vivica I. Kraak: Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-17

Abstract: The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Strategic Plan 2020–2025 committed to reduce children’s consumption of energy-dense nutrient-poor food and beverage products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) and promote healthy eating patterns to reduce malnutrition in all forms. This paper describes the capacity-building needs in PAHO’s Member States to restrict the marketing of HFSS food and beverages to children. We asked Ministries of Health officials or national institutes/departmental representatives ( n = 35) to complete a 28-item web-based survey (January to July 2020). Capacity-building needs were assessed using an adapted version of the World Health Organization’s government capacity-building framework with three modules: public health infrastructure, policies and information systems. Notable achievements for the PAHO’s Plan of Action were identified. State representatives reported strong infrastructure and information systems; however, policy improvements are needed to increase comprehensive national responses. These include using a constitutional health and human rights approach within the policies, policies that document conflict of interest from non-state actors, and strengthening regulatory oversight for digital media platforms. These findings provide baseline data and we suggest priorities for further action to strengthen national governments’ capacity-building and to accelerate the development, implementation, and monitoring systems to restrict the marketing of HFSS food and non-alcoholic beverages to children in the region of the Americas.

Keywords: food marketing; children; nutrition policy; government regulation; capacity-building; obesity; region of the Americas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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