Monitoring methodologies for diet-related regulatory interventions to support a healthy food environment
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Monitoring food industry compliance with government regulations to improve food environments and promote healthier diets is critical to ensuring positive health outcomes. This course provides guidance on how to effectively develop, implement and improve methods and systems for monitoring and enforcing food industry compliance, with particular reference to three key types of food regulations: labelling, reformulation and regulations on marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages to children.
Photo credit: WHO / Emme Khan
Please note: These materials were launched on 13/10/2022
Overview: As food supplies and dietary patterns change across the world to include more processed, packaged and pre-prepared food, governments are implementing regulations to improve food environments and promote healthier population diets. Monitoring food industry compliance with these policies, and taking enforcement action where necessary, is critical to their effectiveness.
The aim of this course is to support the development, implementation and strengthening of systems to monitor and enforce compliance with these regulations. Three key food regulations recommended by the WHO are discussed:
What you’ll learn
Describe WHO recommended regulatory options to address obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases
Identify practices that support the development and implementation of effective regulation
Outline different options for monitoring food industry compliance with regulation
Discuss the pros and cons of different options for monitoring food industry compliance
Discuss relevant considerations for designing a system for monitoring compliance
Describe reasons to address non-compliance and list some examples of non-compliance
Describe potential enforcement actions and understand the importance of appropriately targeted sanctions
Course contents
Module 1: Regulation to promote healthier diets:
A brief overview of regulations to improve population diets recommended by WHO and general principles for developing and implementing effective public health regulation.
Module 2: Methods for monitoring compliance with regulation (part 1):
Different methods for monitoring food industry compliance with regulations to improve diets are outlined, with strengths and weaknesses of each option provided.
Module 3: Methods for monitoring compliance with regulation (part 2):
Different methods for monitoring food industry compliance with regulations to improve diets are outlined, with strengths and weaknesses of each option provided.
Module 4: Applying monitoring methods:
This module discusses how to select methods and build a monitoring system, depending upon country needs and resources.
Module 5: Acting on non-compliance:
The importance of action to address non-compliance is discussed, including examples of non-compliance and suggested appropriate responses.
