Food Service Guideline Policies on Local Government-Controlled Properties.

PURPOSE

Local governments can implement food service guideline (FSG) policies, which, in large cities, may reach millions of people. This study identified FSG policies among the 20 largest US cities and analyzed them for key FSG policy attributes.

DESIGN

Quantitative research.

SETTING

Local government facilities.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty largest US cities.

MEASURES

Frequency of FSG policies and percent alignment to tool.

ANALYSIS

Using municipal legal code libraries and other data sources, FSG policies enacted as of December 31, 2016, were identified. Full-text reviews were conducted of identified policies to determine whether they met inclusion criteria. Included policies were analyzed for key policy attributes specific to nutrition, behavioral design, implementation, and facility efficiency.

RESULTS

Searches identified 469 potential FSG policies, of which 6 policies across 5 cities met inclusion criteria. Five policies met a majority of criteria assessed by the classification tool. Overall alignment to the tool ranged from 17% to 88%. Of the 6 policies, 5 met a majority of the nutrition attributes and 5 met at least 50% of attributes associated with implementation. No policies met the attributes associated with facility efficiency.

CONCLUSION

The FSG policies were identified in 5 of the 20 US cities. Policy alignment was high for nutrition and implementation attributes. This analysis suggests that when cities adopt FSG policies, many develop policies that align with key policy attributes. These policies can serve as models for other jurisdictions to create healthier food access through FSGs.