Governments policy measures to address obesity among adults: a scoping review of the global evidence

Abstract

Background: Obesity epidemic is one of the greatest challenges in public health in modern societies. This study aimed to address the main gap by reviewing the effectiveness of nutritional policy measures implemented globally by governments to reduce obesity prevalence among adults.

Methods: We developed a scoping review by searching Ovid Medline, PubMed, and Embase from May 5, to July 12, 2022 for papers published in English between Jan 1, 2002 and May 1, 2022. Eligible papers included adults older than 18 years and focused on obesity prevention strategies. No restrictions on study design or geographic location were applied. The search terms included "obesity", "health policy", "government regulation", and "obesogenic environment".

Findings: 17 articles were eligible for this scoping review across seven countries (USA, UK, France, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and India). The identified studies were observational, cross-sectional, and systematic reviews, with the majority published in the USA and the UK within the past 5 years. Policies were categorised into three groups: food and beverages taxes (n=6), food labelling (n=6) and national campaigns (n=5). Most policies showed a small magnitude change in obesity reduction metrics such as body-mass index (BMI) and weight outcome (n=10). Two studies found that food labelling did not significantly change weight status. Two other studies targeting national campaigns showed a reduction in risk for obesity and overweight. However, the sugar tax demonstrated promising results compared with all other policies when the tax levy tier was increased. Three studies reported that a higher tax increase was correlated with a greater decline in obesity prevalence when increasing the tax up to 20%.

Interpretation: Our findings inform recommendations for policy makers of how other countries have implemented and evaluated their food policies. It can also encourage food industries to reformulate their products and promote population health. The limited number of settings included in this study is a main limitation of the review. Further investigation of the tax equity is needed.

Funding: None.