In the context of the global obesity epidemic, national nutrition policies have come under scrutiny. The present paper examines whose interests – industry or public health – are served by these policies and why.

Using an exemplary case study of submissions to an inquiry into obesity, the research compared the positions of industry and public health groups with that taken by government. We assessed whether the interests were given equal consideration (a pluralist model of influence) or whether the interests of one group were favoured over the other (a neo-pluralist model).

2006 New Zealand Inquiry into Obesity.

Food and advertising industry and public health submitters.

The Government's position was largely aligned with industry interests in three of four policy domains: the national obesity strategy; food industry policy; and advertising and marketing policies. The exception to this was nutrition policy in schools, where the Government's position was aligned with public health interests. These findings support the neo-pluralist model of interest group influence.

The dominance of the food industry in national nutrition policy needs to be addressed. It is in the interests of the public, industry and the state that government regulates the food and advertising industries and limits the involvement of industry in policy making. Failure to do so will be costly for individuals, in terms of poor health and earlier death, costly to governments in terms of the associated health costs, and costly to both the government and industry due to losses in human productivity.

To identify and assess healthy eating policies at national level which have been evaluated in terms of their impact on awareness of healthy eating, food consumption, health outcome or cost/benefit.

Review of policy documents and their evaluations when available.

European Member States.

One hundred and twenty-one policy documents revised, 107 retained.

Of the 107 selected interventions, twenty-two had been evaluated for their impact on awareness or knowledge and twenty-seven for their impact on consumption. Furthermore sixteen interventions provided an evaluation of health impact, while three actions specifically measured any cost/benefit ratio. The indicators used in these evaluations were in most cases not comparable. Evaluation was more often found for public information campaigns, regulation of meals at schools/canteens and nutrition education programmes.

The study highlights the need not only to develop harmonized and verifiable procedures but also indicators for measuring effectiveness and success and for comparing between interventions and countries. EU policies are recommended to provide a set of indicators that may be measured consistently and regularly in all countries. Furthermore, public information campaigns should be accompanied by other interventions, as evaluations may show an impact on awareness and intention, but rarely on consumption patterns and health outcome.

To examine realist policy options for the South Australian government to improve food security.

Semi-structured interviews with twenty-four key South Australian food security stakeholders.

Food security is a global issue that affects both developing and developed countries. Governments are well placed to improve food security but the solutions are not always evident.

Policy makers, leaders of non-government organisations, private enterprise and front-line food security workers in South Australia.

The research produced forty-four potential policy options for the South Australian government to improve food security.

Stakeholders offered detailed policy solutions for the local context. This illustrates how gathering local evidence expands understanding on an issue. The process used to generate these policy options is applicable to other public health problems and other contexts.

To assess the contribution of street foods to the energy and nutrient needs of street food vendors.

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Food intake for the street food vendors was measured using the 24 h recall method and a semi-quantitative FFQ with emphasis on the source of all foods consumed.

Kampala, Jinja and Masaka districts, Uganda.

The study included 225 street food vendors trading in prepared cooked foods.

The majority of vendors (87·6 %) were women with age range of 21–50 years. Traditional dishes were the most commonly prepared foods and classified into main meals, sauces, vegetables and snacks. The food groups consumed most commonly by street food vendors fall under energy-giving and body-building foods (0·26 (sd 0·81)). The mean daily intake of energy from street foods varied between 22·4 % and 25·6 % (2412 kJ). Carbohydrates contributed the highest proportion of energy (70·1 % to 93·4 %), followed by protein (38·6 % to 44·9 %) and fat (21·9 % to 26·3 %). Street food vendors obtained 24·0 % to 32·5 % of their RDA for Ca from street vended foods, with the lowest intake in Jinja (11·2 % to 23·9 %, P < 0·05). Niacin and thiamin intakes from street foods were respectively above 74 % and 150 % of the RDA. The contribution of street foods to the RDA for Zn ranged from 81·9 % to 190·9 %, and from 3·5 % to 4·9 % for retinol. Fe intake from street vended foods was 40·9 % to 49·7 % of the RDA.

Street foods contribute to sources of dietary energy and other nutrients among street food vendors in Uganda.

The main objective was to assess iodine status (thyroid volume (Tvol) and urinary iodine concentration (UIC)) and their determinants in Saharawi refugee women.

A cross-sectional survey was performed during January–February 2007. Tvol was measured by ultrasound and iodine concentration was analysed in spot urine samples and in household drinking water. Anthropometry and Hb concentration were measured and background variables were collected using pre-coded questionnaires.

The survey was undertaken in four long-term refugee camps in the Algerian desert.

Non-pregnant women (n 394), 15–45 years old, randomly selected.

Median (25th percentile–75th percentile (P25–P75)) UIC was 466 (294–725) μg/l. Seventy-four per cent had UIC above 300 μg/l and 46 % above 500 μg/l. Median (P25–P75) Tvol was 9·4 (7·4–12·0) ml and the goitre prevalence was 22 %. UIC was positively associated with iodine in drinking water and negatively associated with breast-feeding, and these two variables explained 28 % of the variation in UIC. The mean (sd) Hb level was 11·8 (2·4) g/dl. In total 46 % were anaemic with 14 %, 25 % and 7 %, classified with respectively mild, moderate and severe anaemia.

The Saharawi women had high UIC, high levels of iodine in drinking water and increased Tvol and probably suffered from iodine-induced goitre. The high prevalence of anaemia is considered to be a severe public health concern. To what extent the excessive iodine intake and the anaemia have affected thyroid function is unknown and should be addressed in future studies.