The George Institute for Global Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK.
Eur J Public Health. 2023 Apr 1;33(2):299-304. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckad020.
Food policy is important to promote healthy and sustainable diets. However, who is responsible for developing and implementing food policy remains contentious. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how the public attributes responsibility for food policy to governments, individuals and the private sector.
A total of 7559 respondents from seven countries [Australia (n = 1033), Canada (n = 1079), China (n = 1099), India (n = 1086), New Zealand (n = 1090), the UK (n = 1079) and the USA (n = 1093)] completed an online survey assessing perceived responsibility for 11 recommended food policies.
Overall, preferred responsibility for the assessed food policies was primarily attributed to governments (62%), followed by the private sector (49%) and individuals (31%). Respondents from New Zealand expressed the highest support for government responsibility (70%) and those from the USA the lowest (50%). Respondents from the USA and India were most likely to nominate individuals as responsible (both 37%), while those from China were least likely (23%). The private sector had the highest attributed responsibility in New Zealand (55%) and the lowest in China and the USA (both 47%). Support for government responsibility declined with age and was higher among those on higher incomes, with a university degree, and who perceived themselves to consume a healthy diet or be in poor health.
Across seven diverse countries, results indicate the public considers government should take primary responsibility for the assessed food policies, with modest contribution from the private sector and minority support for individual responsibility.
食品政策对于促进健康和可持续饮食非常重要。然而，谁负责制定和实施食品政策仍存在争议。因此，本研究旨在调查公众如何将食品政策的责任归因于政府、个人和私营部门。
本研究共纳入来自七个国家的 7559 名受访者[澳大利亚（n=1033）、加拿大（n=1079）、中国（n=1099）、印度（n=1086）、新西兰（n=1090）、英国（n=1079）和美国（n=1093）]，他们完成了一项在线调查，评估了对 11 项推荐食品政策的感知责任。
总体而言，受访者首选的食品政策责任主要归因于政府（62%），其次是私营部门（49%）和个人（31%）。新西兰受访者对政府责任的支持度最高（70%），美国受访者最低（50%）。美国和印度的受访者最有可能将个人视为负责方（均为 37%），而中国的受访者最不可能（23%）。新西兰私营部门的责任归因最高（55%），中国和美国最低（均为 47%）。随着年龄的增长，对政府责任的支持度下降，收入较高、拥有大学学历、认为自己饮食健康或健康状况不佳的受访者对政府责任的支持度更高。
在七个不同的国家中，结果表明公众认为政府应承担评估食品政策的主要责任，私营部门应适度参与，个人责任的支持度较低。
