scholarly journals Analysing the impact of trade agreements on national food environments: the case of Vanuatu

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amerita Ravuvu ◽  
Joe Pakoa Lui ◽  
Adolphe Bani ◽  
Anna Wells Tavoa ◽  
Raymond Vuti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Environment ◽  
Ice Cream ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Liberalisation ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Bakery Products ◽  
Policy Space ◽  
Tariff Rates ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Wto Agreements

Abstract Background A large body of literature exists on trade liberalisation and the ways in which trade agreements can affect food systems. However, the systematic and objective monitoring of these and their impact on national food environments has been limited. Using a case study, this paper undertakes a systematic analysis of how Vanuatu’s obligations under WTO agreements has impacted its food environment. Results Data collection was guided by the INFORMAS trade monitoring framework’s minimal approach and seven selected indicators outlined in three domains: trade in goods, trade in services and FDI, and policy space. Strong associations between trade liberalisation and imported foods, especially ultra-processed foods were evident in measured indicators as follows: (i) food trade with 32 WTO countries showing high levels of import volumes; (ii) a marked increase in ‘less healthy’ focus food imports namely fatty and other selected meat products, sugar, savoury snacks, ice-cream and edible ices and energy-dense beverages; (iii) actual and bound tariff rates impacting import trends of ice-cream and edible ices, bakery products and confectionary; and in other instances, a sharp increase in import of crisps, snacks and noodles despite tariff rates remaining unchanged from 2008 to 2019; (iv) policies regulating food marketing, composition, labelling and trade in the domestic space with relatively limited safeguard measures; (v) 49 foreign-owned food-related companies involved in food manufacturing and processing and the production of coffee, bakery products, confectionary, food preservatives, fish, local food products and meat, and the manufacturing, processing and packaging of palm oil, coconut oil, cooking oil, water, cordial juice, flavoured juices, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. These were largely produced for local consumption; (vi) 32 domestic industries engaged in food and beverage production; and (vii) an assessment of WTO provisions relating to domestic policy space and governance showing that the current legal and regulatory environment for food in Vanuatu remains fragmented. Conclusions The analysis presented in this paper suggest that Vanuatu’s commitments to WTO agreements do play an important role in shaping their food environment and the availability, nutritional quality, and accessibility of foods.

scholarly journals Analysing the Impact of Trade Agreements on National Food Environments: The Case of Vanuatu

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amerita Ravuvu ◽  
Joe Pakoa Lui ◽  
Adolphe Bani ◽  
Anna Wells Tavoa ◽  
Raymond Vuti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Liberalisation ◽  
Trade Policies ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Objective Monitoring ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: The liberalisation of international trade and foreign direct investment through trade agreements have been influential in the changing structure and nature of food systems. They have also contributed to the increased availability of foods associated with the nutrition transition globally. Despite the large body of literature on trade liberalisation and the ways in which trade agreements can affect food systems, the ways in which trade agreements can affect national food environments has been little studied. There is a need for more systematic and objective monitoring of the impacts of trade agreements to better understand its links and impacts on the influx of food imports high in fat, sugar and salt entering a country as this has direct impacts on the availability, nutritional quality and accessibility of foods in national food environments. Using the INFORMAS trade monitoring framework, a systematic analysis of Vanuatu’s membership to the WTO under the framework’s four domains was undertaken. Results: The baseline results presented in this paper suggest a strong association between Vanuatu’s trade liberalisation and the increased availability of the diverse range of imported products: fats and oils, meat and canned fish, processed dairy products, energy-dense beverages, and processed and packaged foods.Conclusions: The analysis presented in this paper suggest that Vanuatu’s commitments to WTO Agreements do play an important role in shaping their food environment by increasing both healthy and less healthy imports. For all Pacific Island countries, the systematic and objective monitoring of the impacts of these agreements on national food environments remains a significant challenge. There is also minimal data to inform the development of effective, coherent trade and health policy approaches to promote healthier food environments that can contribute to reducing the burden of obesity and related NCDs. Nevertheless, there is scope when developing trade policies and agreements to consider NCDs as part of broader social impact assessment studies. These can be used to identify potential modifications that can be made to trade policies and agreements. These modifications can regulate food environments and reduce the impact of NCDs or ensure that mitigating complementary actions are taken.

scholarly journals Monitoring the impact of trade agreements on national food environments: trade imports and population nutrition risks in Fiji

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amerita Ravuvu ◽  
Sharon Friel ◽  
Anne-Marie Thow ◽  
Wendy Snowdon ◽  
Jillian Wate
Keyword(s):  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
The Impact

A WTO Ruling Matters: Citizens’ Support for the Government’s Compliance with Trade Agreements

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoko Matsumura
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
World Trade Organization ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
World Trade ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Trade Dispute ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Wto Agreements

AbstractAn international court’s ruling is expected to influence public opinion because of the perception of its legality and the subsequent costs of noncompliance. However, there has been little direct empirical evidence to support this claim. To close this lacuna, I conducted a survey experiment to examine the power of a court’s ruling in the context of a trade dispute. The experiment shows that citizens become less supportive of their government’s noncompliance with GATT/WTO agreements when the World Trade Organization issues an adverse ruling, compared to when their government is verbally accused of a violation of the same agreements by a foreign country. However, the experiment also finds that the impact of a ruling is conditional upon the level of compliance of the winner of the dispute.

scholarly journals ‘It’s Hard to Make Good Choices and It Costs More’: Adolescents’ Perception of the External School Food Environment

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1043
Author(s):  
Colette Kelly ◽  
Mary Callaghan ◽  
Saoirse Nic Gabhainn
Keyword(s):  
Food Environment ◽  
Food Choice ◽  
Discussion Groups ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
School Food ◽  
Price Discounts ◽  
Food Outlets ◽  
School Food Environment ◽  
The Impact

Research on the impact of school and community food environments on adolescent food choice is heavily reliant on objective rather than subjective measures of food outlets around schools and homes. Gaining the perspective of adolescents and how they perceive and use food environments is needed. The aim of this study was to explore adolescent’s perception and use of the food environment surrounding their schools. Purposive sampling was used to recruit schools. Mapping exercises and discussion groups were facilitated with 95 adolescents from six schools. Thematic analysis showed that adolescents are not loyal to particular shops but are attracted to outlets with price discounts, those with ‘deli’ counters and sweets. Cost, convenience and choice are key factors influencing preference for food outlets and foods. Quality, variety and health were important factors for adolescents but these features, especially affordable healthy food, were hard to find. Social factors such as spending time with friends is also an important feature of food environments that deserves further attention. Adolescents’ perceptions of their food environment provide insights into features that can be manipulated to enable healthy choices.

scholarly journals Benchmarking for accountability on obesity prevention: evaluation of the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) in Australia (2016 – 2020)

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Janelle Kwon ◽  
Erica Reeve ◽  
Davina Mann ◽  
Boyd Swinburn ◽  
Gary Sacks
Keyword(s):  
Food Environment ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Policy Action ◽  
Online Surveys ◽  
Environment Policy ◽  
Support Policy ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective: Despite broad agreement on the need for comprehensive policy action to improve the healthiness of food environments, implementation of recommended policies has been slow and fragmented. Benchmarking is increasingly being used to strengthen accountability for action. However, there have been few evaluations of benchmarking and accountability initiatives to understand their contribution to policy change. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) Australia initiative (2016-2020) that assessed Australian governments on their progress in implementing recommended policies for improving food environments. Design: A convergent mixed methods approach was employed incorporating data from online surveys (conducted in 2017 and 2020) and in-depth semi-structured interviews (conducted in 2020). Data were analysed against a pre-defined logic model. Setting: Australia. Participants: Interviews: 20 stakeholders (16 government, 4 non-government). Online surveys: 53 non-government stakeholders (52% response rate) in 2017; 34 non-government stakeholders (36% response rate) in 2020. Results: The Food-EPI process involved extensive engagement with government officials and the broader public health community across Australia. Food-EPI Australia was found to support policy processes, including as a tool to increase knowledge of good practice, as a process for collaboration, and as an authoritative reference to support policy decisions and advocacy strategies. Conclusions: Key stakeholders involved in the Food-EPI Australia process viewed it as a valuable initiative that should be repeated to maximise its value as an accountability mechanism. The highly collaborative nature of the initiative was seen as a key strength that could inform design of other benchmarking processes.

Food procurement in English-language Canadian public schools: Opportunities and challenges

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-99
Author(s):  
Shawna Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
English Language ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
School Food ◽  
Provincial Level ◽  
School Food Environment

This paper examines the changes to procurement for school food environments in Canada as a response to changes to nutrition regulations at the provincial level. Interviews with those working in school food environments across Canada revealed how changes to the nutrition requirements of foods and beverages sold in schools presented opportunities to not only improve the nutrient content of the items made available in school food environments, but also to include local producers and/or school gardens in procuring for the school food environment. At the same time, some schools struggle to procure nutritionally compliant foods due to increased costs associated with transporting produce to rural, remote, or northern communities as well as logistic difficulties like spoilage. Although the nutrition regulations have facilitated improvements to food environments in some schools, others require more support to improve the overall nutritional quality of the foods and beverages available to students at school.

scholarly journals Shaping Physical, Economic, and Policy Components of the Food Environment to Create Sustainable Healthy Diets

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 74S-86S
Author(s):  
Adam Drewnowski ◽  
Eva C. Monterrosa ◽  
Saskia de Pee ◽  
Edward A. Frongillo ◽  
Stefanie Vandevijvere
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Food System ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Food Environments ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Equitable Access ◽  
Nutrition Labels ◽  
Healthy Diets ◽  
Physical Spaces

Background: Sustainable healthy diets are those dietary patterns that promote all dimensions of individuals’ health and well-being; have low environmental pressure and impact; are accessible, affordable, safe, and equitable; and are culturally acceptable. The food environment, defined as the interface between the wider food system and consumer’s food acquisition and consumption, is critical for ensuring equitable access to foods that are healthy, safe, affordable, and appealing. Discussion: Current food environments are creating inequities, and sustainable healthy foods are generally more accessible for those of higher socioeconomic status. The physical, economic, and policy components of the food environment can all be acted on to promote sustainable healthy diets. Physical spaces can be modified to improve relative availability (ie, proximity) of food outlets that carry nutritious foods in low-income communities; to address economic access certain actions may improve affordability, such as fortification, preventing food loss through supply chain improvements; and commodity specific vouchers for fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Other policy actions that address accessibility to sustainable healthy foods are comprehensive marketing restrictions and easy-to-understand front-of-pack nutrition labels. While shaping food environments will require concerted action from all stakeholders, governments and private sector bear significant responsibility for ensuring equitable access to sustainable healthy diets.

scholarly journals Dopamine D4 receptor gene polymorphism (DRD4 VNTR) moderates real-world behavioural response to the food retail environment in children

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Paquet ◽  
Andre Krumel Portella ◽  
Spencer Moore ◽  
Yu Ma ◽  
Alain Dagher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Density ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Receptor Gene ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
Dopamine D4 Receptor ◽  
Vntr Polymorphism ◽  
Food Retailers ◽  
D4 Receptor ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Evidence for the impact of the food retailing environment on food-related and obesity outcomes remains equivocal, but only a few studies have attempted to identify sub-populations for whom this relationship might be stronger than others. Genetic polymorphisms related to dopamine signalling have been associated with differences in responses to rewards such as food and may be candidate markers to identify such sub-populations. This study sought to investigate whether genetic variation of the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4 exon III 48 bp VNTR polymorphism) moderated the association between local exposure to food retailers on BMI and diet in a sample of 4 to12-year-old children. Methods Data collected from a birth cohort and a community cross-sectional study conducted in Montreal, Canada, were combined to provide DRD4 VNTR polymorphism data in terms of presence of the 7-repeat allele (DRD4-7R) for 322 children aged between 4 and 12 (M (SD): 6.8(2.8) y). Outcomes were Body Mass Index (BMI) for age and energy density derived from a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Food environment was expressed as the proportion of local food retailers classified as healthful within 3 km of participants’ residence. Linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, income, cohort, and geographic clustering were used to test gene*environment interactions. Results A significant gene*food environment interaction was found for energy density with results indicating that DRD4-7R carriers had more energy dense diets than non-carriers, with this effect being more pronounced in children living in areas with proportionally more unhealthy food retailers. No evidence of main or interactive effects of DRD4 VNTR and food environment was found for BMI. Conclusions Results of the present study suggest that a genetic marker related to dopamine pathways can identify children with potentially greater responsiveness to unhealthy local food environment. Future studies should investigate additional elements of the food environment and test whether results hold across different populations.

scholarly journals Protection, economic war and structural change: the 1930s in Ireland

1991 ◽  
Vol 27 (107) ◽  
pp. 250-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Peter Neary ◽  
Cormac Ó Gráda
Keyword(s):  
Economic Activity ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Home Market ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Political Controversy ◽  
Cumann Na Ngaedheal ◽  
Political Turmoil ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Economic Outlook

If I were an Irishman, I should find much to attract me in the economic outlook of your present government towards greater self-sufficiency. (J.M. Keynes)The 1930s were years of political turmoil and economic crisis and change in Ireland. Economic activity had peaked in 1929, and the last years of the Cumann na nGaedheal government (in power since the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922) saw substantial drops in output, trade and employment. The policies pursued after Fianna Fáil’s victory in the election of February 1932 were therefore influenced both by immediate economic pressures and by the party’s ideological commitments. The highly protectionist measures associated with de Valera and Lemass — key men of the new régime — sought both to create jobs quickly and to build more gradually a large indigenous industrial sector, producing primarily for the home market.Political controversy complicated matters. De Valera was regarded as a headstrong fanatic by the British establishment. His government’s refusal to hand over to Britain the so-called ‘land annuities’ — a disputed item in the Anglo-Irish settlement of 1921 — led to an ‘economic war’, in which the British Treasury sought payment instead through penal ‘emergency’ tariffs on Irish imports. The Irish imposed their own duties, bounties and licensing restrictions in turn. The economic war hurt Irish agriculture badly; the prices of fat and store cattle dropped by almost half between 1932 and mid-1935. Farmers got some relief through export bounties and the coal-cattle pacts (quota exchanges of Irish cattle for British coal) of 1935-7, but Anglo-Irish relations were not normalised again until the finance and trade agreements of the spring of 1938, and the resolution of the annuities dispute did not mean an end to protection. The questions ‘Who won the economic war?’ and ‘What was the impact of protection on the Irish economy?’ are analytically distinct, but they are not that easy to keep apart in practice.

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