Food environment in Burkina Faso: priority actions recommended to the government using Food-EPI tool.

Introduction: The food environment is an important factor in the efforts of countries worldwide to achieve a transition to sustainable food systems. The objective of this study is to formulate and prioritize actions to be addressed to the government of Burkina Faso for the creation of a healthy food environment, which will contribute to reducing malnutrition in all its forms and non-communicable diseases. Methods: National experts were brought together to identify and prioritize actions to fill the gaps identified through a multi-step assessment process following the methodology of the Healthy Food and Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI). Results: Up to 20 priority policy actions were recommended to the Burkina Faso government. Actions in the policy component focused mainly on regulation of food promotion and marketing, particularly to children, and others in the infrastructure support component focused largely on political leadership, i.e., strong and visible political support from the government to improve the food environment, population nutrition, diet-related non-communicable diseases and their inequalities. Conclusion: The priority actions to be recommended to the government will strengthen advocacy for government decisions to create a healthier food environment in the country.

Food Environment in Burkina Faso: Review of Public Policies and Government Actions Using the Food-EPI Tool.

BACKGROUND: Governments have a central role to play in creating a food environment that will enable people to have and maintain healthy eating practices. OBJECTIVES: This study analyzes public policies and government actions related to creating healthy food environments in Burkina Faso. METHODS: The Healthy Food Environment Policy Index tool used for this study has 2 components, 13 domains, and 56 indicators of good practice adapted to the Burkina Faso context. Official policy documents collected from data sources such as government and nongovernment websites, and through interviews with government and nongovernment resource persons, provided evidence of considerations of food environment in public policy documents in Burkina Faso. RESULTS: Policies documents show a lack of revision of old texts and administrative processes for new policies and government practices are very slow. Added to this is the absence of a regulatory document for some implemented actions. The analysis of the documents collected in relation to the indicators of Food-Epi tool shows that there is no evidence of consideration of food environments for the indicators concerning the regulation of nutrition and health claims, labeling, taxes on healthy and unhealthy foods, support systems for training for private structures on healthy diets, implementation of food guidelines, and food trade and investment. CONCLUSION: This study permits a review of public policies that take into account food environments through the various indicators and constitutes a starting point from which improvements can be made by the government.

Plain language titleOverview of Nutrition Policies, Taking Into Account All the Dimensions That Can Influence People's Food Choices Across Government, the Food Industry and SocietyPlain language summaryTo achieve healthy eating habits, governments need to be involved in creating a healthy food environment. This study analyzes public policies and government actions related to the creation of healthy food environments in Burkina Faso. The Healthy Food Environment Policy Index tool was used to carry out this study. Policy documents collected from data sources such as governmental and nongovernmental websites, and through interviews with governmental and nongovernmental resource persons, provided evidence of the consideration given to the food environment in Burkina Faso. Thus, policy documents show a lack of revision of older documents and a very slow administrative process. Added to this is the lack of regulatory documentation on concrete measures taken. An analysis of the documents collected according to the Food Epi-Tool indicators shows that food environments are not taken into account for indicators relating to nutrition and health claims, labeling and taxation of healthy and unhealthy foods, support systems for training private structures on healthy diets, implementation of food guidelines, and food trade and investment. In short, this research provides a starting point for evaluating and improving food-friendly public policies through a series of indicators.