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CV health may improve with innovations in food systems
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Improvements in food production and distribution can lead to healthy and sustainable food systems and positive impacts on CV health, according to an American Heart Association science advisory published in Circulation.
“Innovation in the food system is needed at multiple levels — the food industry, agricultural industry, public health and medicine, policy and among communities, worksites, schools and families,” Cheryl A.M. Anderson, PhD, MPH, MS, professor at University of California in San Diego School of Medicine, chair of the AHA’s Nutrition Committee and chair of the writing group, said in a press release. “In a healthy food system, the healthy choice would be the default choice.”
Defining healthy food systems
The advisory defined a healthy food system as one that maintains and promotes nutrient-dense dietary patterns to optimize health on an individual and cross-cultural basis. Developing this requires a multilevel approach with federal, global state and local policies, in addition to food and agricultural industries, communities, public health and medicine, schools and worksites, Anderson and colleagues wrote.
Although it is understood what needs to be done to improve food systems, there are significant gaps in literature on the impact of these innovations on CV health factors, according to the document. Despite this, there have been studies on the benefits of altering eating behaviors. Innovation to improve food systems can be accomplished through approaches related to public health, the private sector, policy, community, medicine and individuals.
Policies have previously been implemented such as national calorie menu labeling and banning trans fatty acids from the food supply, according to the document.
“Such policies could stimulate development of new food items containing fewer calories; food packaged or sold in smaller portion sizes; increases in vegetable and fruit consumption; and reductions in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and other unhealth foods and beverages,” Anderson and colleagues wrote.
Private sector approaches such as increasing healthy choices for consumers can also impact behaviors and outcomes. Health care and public health interventions have been able to improve food choices in medically ill and low-income populations, according to the document.
Community-based ap p roaches
Healthier food purchase, selection and consumption can potentially improve through community-based approaches such as increasing water availability in schools and traffic light labels. There has been interest shown in health and nutrition applications to increase awareness of healthier options, according to the document.
Key issues that may inform future directions include the lack of evidence between innovations and health outcomes, literature gaps on the impact of previous innovations by agricultural and food industries and the need for stakeholders at every level of the food system.
“There is a need for immediate action to promote and fund innovative food systems approaches and their evaluation, especially given recent debates in highly respected research journals, by prominent scientists, about the promises and pitfalls of nutrition research,” Anderson and colleagues wrote. – by Darlene Dobkowski
Disclosure s : Anderson reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the document for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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