Safety and quality perspective of street vended foods in developing countries

The impact of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and the response of government and non-government actors, from February-September 2020, offers critical insights into the current state of England’s food policy processes and operations, and in particular the coordination of national food policy approaches. This study aims to clarify and solidify the discourse around food policy coordination by differentiating between routine coordination of the activities of government, and strategic coordination of such policy activities with higher-level strategic goals, such as those associated with a healthy and sustainable food system. This framework is applied to the case study based on documentary analysis. In detailing the evidence of coordination in the response, including examples of cross-government working, and collaboration across the public, private and third sectors, the findings illustrate the breadth of actors which constituted the policy and governance response. These included public policymakers in national and local governments, and from a range of different government departments; private sector food businesses; and third sector organisations. There was a high level of routine coordination, but also instances of disconnection and delay. A lack of strategic coordination provides an explanatory device for several instances of disconnection and incoherence, including interventions which failed to prioritise nutrition-related health, and the working conditions of those employed in the food sector. The routine-strategic distinction can be deployed to inform discussions on the types of policy coordination mechanisms, such as cross–cutting taskforces or bodies, which might be instituted to support connected working on food. 

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England’s food policy coordination and the Covid-19 response

We investigated the associations between eating away from home (EAFH) and overweight and obesity among Ugandan adults using the 2014 Uganda non-communicable disease risk factor survey.In total, 3,025 participants aged 18-69 years were included in the analysis. The frequency of EAFH was assessed by asking participants the number of meals eaten per week that were not prepared at a home. EAFH frequency was categorized as; less than once/week, 1-2 times/week, or ≥ 3 times/week. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between overweight, obesity, and EAFH. We also tested whether sex and age modified these associations.Participants that ate away from home ≥ 3 times/week were 2.13 times more likely to be obese than those that ate away from home less than once/week (odds ratio [OR], 2.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28-3.54). However, when the analysis was stratified by sex, women that ate away from home ≥ 3 times/week were 42% less likely to be overweight than those that ate away from home less than once/week (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.36-0.94). Men that ate away from home ≥ 3 times a week were 3.89 times and 2.23 times more likely to be obese and overweight, respectively, than those that ate away from home less than once/week (obesity: OR, 3.89; 95% CI, 1.50-10.09; overweight: OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.42-3.51). Age-stratified analysis showed that among participants aged 31-50 years, those that ate away from home ≥ 3 times a week were 3.53 times more likely to be obese than those that ate away from home less than once/week (OR, 3.53; 95% CI, 1.69-7.37).Frequent EAFH was positively associated with overweight and obesity among men, and obesity among young/middle-aged adults, but negatively associated with overweight in women. Nutritional interventions for obesity reduction in Uganda should include strategies aimed at reducing the frequency of eating meals prepared away from home, and specifically target men and young/middle-aged adults. 

Eating away from home is associated with overweight and obesity among Ugandan adults: the 2014 Uganda non-communicable disease risk factor survey

Antivaccine campaigns and the far left and right

Chapter 8 Antivaccine campaigns and the far left and right

Methodology: An exploratory methodology was adopted to examine experiences relating to capability and capacity among formal and informal helpers within the PHN domain. An online survey, mainly open-ended questions, was used to capture experiences over the period 2010 - 2020. A mixed sampling strategy, including snowball and convenience sampling, via social media and social network contact-sharing approaches, was adopted. Data was analysed using an inductive thematic approach.
Results: A total of 89 participants representing the PHN system in England were recruited over two months. Three main themes and eight sub-themes were identified. The first reflected unequivocal accounts of the impact of austerity and the inability of PHN services to meet demand for food security. The second articulated capacity and capability issues within the system, with geographical variations in service delivery, and a lack of connectivity between central, local government, and third sector providers. These were attributed to widening nutrition and health inequalities. Participants felt that the government needed to invest more technical and financial resources to support public health nutrition. They also felt that schools could play a larger role at local level, but there was a need for a clear national recovery plan, setting out a comprehensive and fully supported national strategy to eradicate food insecurity in England
Conclusions: Further in-depth research is needed to continue to track the impact of recovery strategies on food insecure people and the capacity of the PHN system. Urgent investment in the capacity and coordination of PHN services is needed to support food insecure people in England. The UK could include the ratification of the right to food in national laws, in line with global commitments already agreed to by the UK State Party.

https://worldnutritionjournal.org/index.php/wn/article/download/795/665

Is England's public health nutrition system in crisis? A qualitative analysis of the capacity to feed all in need during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background:Street food has continued to be a popular food source in the urban settings of developing countries and is proving to be a vital urban dietary source. However, its dietary contribution a...

/pdf/contribution-of-street-food-to-dietary-intake-of-habitual-4may4691nq.pdf

Jessica Swann

Papers

Is England's public health nutrition system in crisis? A qualitative analysis of the capacity to feed all in need during the COVID-19 pandemic

Contribution of street food to dietary intake of habitual urban consumers: A cross-sectional study in Kampala city, Uganda.