Oral Presentation ANZOS-ASLM-ICCR 2019

Influence of food industry discourses on young adults’ discussion of public health nutrition policies (#55)

Elly Howse 1 , Catherine Hankey 2 , Adrian Bauman 1 , Becky Freeman 1
  1. Prevention Research Collaboration, School of Public Health and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, University Of Sydney, NEW SOUTH WALES, Australia
  2. School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

Unhealthy dietary patterns account for a large proportion of increased risk for non-communicable diseases and contribute to other risk factors such as obesity. One aspect of unhealthy dietary patterns is the consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and drinks. Addressing the widespread availability, low cost and marketing of these products is an important strategy for public health nutrition1, particularly for groups such as young adults (18 – 30 years) who are at high risk of poor diet. However there is major resistance from the food industry towards greater regulation by governments in food systems and food environments.2

This research explores how young adults (18 – 30 years) in Australia and the UK discuss proposed public health nutrition policies, and analyses how their discussions reflect the influence of food industry discourses regarding these policies.

Eight focus groups were held in Sydney, Australia and Glasgow, UK. Thirty young adults participated. A deliberative-style method was used in the focus groups. Participants were asked to deliberate on what they thought of proposed public health nutrition policies based on the NOURISHING Framework4, including taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages; and restrictions on advertising and marketing. Discourse analysis5 was used to examine how participants’ discussion reflected specific food industry discourses.

Five food industry discourses were identified in participants’ discussion: self-regulation of industry; personal responsibility; education rather than regulation; corporate social responsibility; and challenging the science. Results indicate that food industry discourses are apparent and pervasive in young adults’ discussion. This demonstrates the need to reframe public health nutrition policies in terms of de-normalising less healthy food products, and shift the focus from individual responsibility to corporate and governmental responsibility in terms of action on prevention of obesity and non-communicable diseases.

  1. Swinburn, B. Sacks G., Hall K., McPherson K., Finegood D., Moodie M., Gortmaker S. (2011), The global obesity pandemic: shaped by global drivers and local environments. Lancet. 27;378(9793):804-14. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60813-1.
  2. Brownell, K. and Warner, K. (2009), The Perils of Ignoring History: Big Tobacco Played Dirty and Millions Died. How Similar Is Big Food? Milbank Q. 87(1): 259–294. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-0009.2009.00555.x
  3. Hawkes, C. , Jewell, J. and Allen, K. (2013), The NOURISHING framework. Obes Rev, 14: 159-168. doi:10.1111/obr.12098.
  4. Lupton, D. (1992), Discourse analysis: a new methodology for understanding the ideologies of health and illness. ANZJPH. 16,2: 145-150.