Public support for policies to create a healthier food environment in Aotearoa New Zealand: findings from a national survey

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AIM: The food and beverages we consume affect our risk for developing many types of cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Healthy food environments support population-level healthy dietary habits and address diet-related health inequities. This study investigated public support for key evidence-based policies to create a healthy food environment, with a focus on understanding support by voting intention in the context of an election year. METHODS: Adults, recruited from an online panel via quota sampling, completed a cross-sectional online survey that examined support for evidence-based policies to create a healthy food environment in Aotearoa New Zealand. The range of policies targeted areas such as regulating unhealthy food marketing and sponsorship, food product reformulation and a sugary drinks tax. Data analysis examined support by age group, gender, prioritised ethnicity and voting intention. RESULTS: We received 1,635 responses after oversampling Māori (n=385, 23.5%, unweighted) and Pacific people (n=368, 22.5%, unweighted). People in Aotearoa New Zealand want politicians to do more to create a healthy food environment. There was substantial support (62.2-88.6%) for the range of policies included in the survey, with majority support across voting intentions for current parliamentary parties (50.2-94.9%). CONCLUSION: Aotearoa New Zealanders want more action from politicians to create a healthy food environment through evidence-based policies that address factors such as cost, marketing and reformulation, and with no interference from industry. These positive actions would go a long way to addressing the increasing and inequitable health burden of cancer and other NCDs.

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