Output details

Healthier catering initiatives in London, UK: an effective tool for encouraging healthier consumption behaviour?

This paper is in the context of the new responsibility local authorities now have (since April 2013) for addressing public health and health inequalities. Central government advice advocates the use of spatial planning powers to manage the proliferation of fast food outlets alongside interventions to encourage healthy business practices. The paper draws on two evaluations of a London-based Healthy Catering Commitment scheme targeted at small scale out of home catering businesses. It was commissioned by the Greater London Authority and the Inner North West London Primary Care Trusts as part of their strategy for identifying effective measures for tackling obesity within local communities.

The methodology included an online survey capturing data on 77 businesses completing the award, in-depth interviews with 10 business, and focus groups and telephone interviews with representatives from 12 boroughs administering the award scheme.

Analysis of this data considers the extent to which businesses are prepared to make changes to their catering practices and how operational barriers and aspects of the local trading environment impact on this. The paper adds to the debate on effective strategies for encouraging behaviour change and the role of healthy catering initiatives as a viable approach to addressing the spatial health inequalities in local areas. It also comments on the extent to which voluntary agreements with industry (currently being promoted by the UK government) are likely to be an effective means of ensuring a healthier food environment, and the extent to which government intervention is justified in the interests of improving public health and tackling health inequalities.

The research led to an appointment as an advisor to the London Health Improvement Board, and a commission to produce a briefing paper ('Fast food takeaways: A review of the wider evidence base') for London local authorities on strategies for working with fast food outlets. Available from http://www.citiesinstitute.org/fms/MRSite/Research/cities/Publications%202013/Fast%20Food%20Evidence%20Final.pdf