Zhou Shuyi, Zhang Na, Li Zhenhui, Zhu Wenli, Chang Suying, Shirazi Ali, Gao Shijie, Xi Yurong, Fang Yujie, Zhang Man, Ma Guansheng
School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Laboratory of Toxicological Research and Risk Assessment for Food Safety, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Nutrients. 2025 Aug 29;17(17):2815. doi: 10.3390/nu17172815.
: Despite the importance of food environments in shaping dietary behaviors and diet-related noncommunicable diseases, no standardized and validated method has been used to assess this policy domain in China. This study aimed to benchmark China's food retail policies against international benchmarking to identify implementation gaps and propose evidence-based strategies for improving food environments. : Using the standardized and validated Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI), we assessed four food retail indicators: restrictive zoning for fast-food outlets (RETAIL 1), healthy food accessibility (RETAIL 2), institutional support systems (RETAIL 3), and food service promotion (RETAIL 4). A multidisciplinary expert panel ( = 13) from academia, public health, and industry conducted structured assessments using a standardized scoring tool (1-5). Scores were converted to implementation percentages and categorized into four levels. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and mean ± SD) were summarized. : Sixteen food retail policies were analyzed, with 62.5% ( = 10) of provincial policies focusing on fast-food zoning and healthy food access, and 37.5% ( = 6) of national policies targeting government support and healthy food promotion. Regulations comprised 55% ( = 11), mainly addressing zoning and access, while guidelines accounted for 45% ( = 9), primarily promotional. Overall, the food retail domain was rated as low level (2.3 ± 1.1, 45.8% implementation). Among the four indicators, healthy food access in outlets (2.6 ± 1.3, 52.4%) and promotion of healthy food in services (2.5 ± 1.0, 50.8%) were at medium implementation levels. In contrast, local fast-food zoning restrictions (1.7 ± 0.6, 33.8%) and government support for healthy food (2.3 ± 1.1, 46.2%) remained at low levels. : China's food retail policies showed inconsistent implementation levels, with strong provincial execution in accessibility and promotion but weak national coordination in zoning and support systems. To align with the WHO and China's goals, priorities are unified national frameworks, enforceable standards, equity-focused monitoring, and strengthened multi-sector collaboration.
尽管食物环境在塑造饮食行为和与饮食相关的非传染性疾病方面具有重要意义，但在中国尚未采用标准化且经过验证的方法来评估这一政策领域。本研究旨在将中国的食品零售政策与国际基准进行比对，以找出实施差距，并提出基于证据的改善食物环境的策略。使用标准化且经过验证的健康食品环境政策指数（Food-EPI），我们评估了四项食品零售指标：快餐店的限制性分区（零售1）、健康食品的可及性（零售2）、制度支持体系（零售3）以及食品服务推广（零售4）。一个由来自学术界、公共卫生领域和行业的多学科专家小组（n = 13）使用标准化评分工具（1 - 5）进行结构化评估。分数被转换为实施百分比，并分为四个等级。汇总了描述性统计数据（频率、百分比以及均值±标准差）。分析了16项食品零售政策，62.5%（n = 10）的省级政策侧重于快餐分区和健康食品获取，37.5%（n = 6）的国家级政策针对政府支持和健康食品推广。法规占55%（n = 11），主要涉及分区和获取，而指南占45%（n = 9），主要是推广方面。总体而言，食品零售领域被评为低水平（2.3 ± 1.1，45.8%的实施率）。在这四项指标中，店铺内健康食品的可及性（2.6 ± 1.3，52.4%）和服务中健康食品的推广（2.5 ± 1.0，50.8%）处于中等实施水平。相比之下，当地快餐分区限制（1.7 ± 0.6，33.8%）和政府对健康食品的支持（2.3 ± 1.1，46.2%）仍处于低水平。中国的食品零售政策显示出实施水平不一致的情况，省级在可及性和推广方面执行有力，但国家级在分区和支持体系方面协调薄弱。为了与世界卫生组织和中国的目标保持一致，当务之急是统一的国家框架、可执行的标准、注重公平的监测以及加强多部门协作。
