Details

Purpose: During this symposium, we will present the results from three different studies that came forth of the JPI-HDHL Policy Evaluation Network and that aimed to gain more insight into the underlying mechanisms via which food environment policies may impact on socioeconomic inequalities in diet. We took an experimental, a theoretical and systemic approach.

Rationale: Increasing patterns of dietary inequalities over the past decades have coincided with the rise of unhealthy food environments. However, underlying mechanisms and the system dynamics of environmental and individual determinants of dietary inequalities are poorly understood. Moreover, food environment policies are promising strategies to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in diet, but the underlying mechanisms via which policies differentially affect lower and higher socioeconomic groups are unclear. Different types of research (experimental, theoretical and systemic approaches) may collectively increase our understanding of interconnections between food environments and dietary inequalities and can enhance the development of effective policies to reduce socioeconomic inequalities.

Objectives:

-      Apply a theoretical perspective on the potential impact of food environment policies on socioeconomic inequalities in diets (theoretical approach)

-      Present research findings on the potential modifying effect of financial constraint and perceived stress in the evaluation of a sugar sweetened beverage tax and nutrient profiling tax (experimental approach)

-      Identify the underlying system of environmental determinants influencing dietary outcomes in lower SES groups and dietary inequalities (complex systems approach)

-      Provide guidance for future directions in this research area. 

Summary: This symposium will present and discuss findings of three international studies that investigated the underlying mechanisms of environmental determinants and food environment policies influencing socioeconomic inequalities in diets.   

Format: Janas Harrington (chair) will introduce the session and theme (5 minutes). Subsequently, Sanne Djojosoeparto, Carlijn Kamphuis, and Alexia Sawyer will present their studies (10-15 minute each). Frank van Lenthe (discussant) will provide a reflection on the study findings (10 minutes) and facilitates an interactive discussion with the chair, presenters and all attendees (15-20 minutes). 

Interaction: After each presentation, there is room for questions from the audience. At the end, a discussion will be facilitated by the discussant between the attendees and the presenters. 

Speaker