Can Food Labels Improve the Food Systems in the World?

Food systems across the world have changed from wholesome foods to fast and ultra-refined foods. This nutrition transition has contributed immensely to the rapidly increasing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and obesity across the globe. There is a growing need to support consumers in making healthier food choices through information, education and communication, and by targeting the market environment through food labelling. Food labels include ingredients, amounts, allergens, name of manufacturer, country of origin, date of manufacture and expiry. This article aims to raise awareness of the effectiveness of food labelling to improve the food system and, in return, combat the rising NCDs. Nutrition labelling has shown positive results in shaping consumer food choices and improving the quality of food production by food manufacturers. Unfortunately, there is a tendency for food companies to market false information about food, marketing an item to consumers as a healthy food option, when in fact, it is not.Despite increasing calls for mandatory food labelling as a policy strategy to halt the rising prevalence of NCDs, governments require clear evidence supporting the effectiveness of food labelling in improving food choices to make informed decisions. Mandatory labelling would require a strong commitment from all stakeholders, including the food industry, governments, consumer organisations and the trade industry.

Exploring the Twitter activity around the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

BackgroundTobacco companies’ intentions to influence the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) via the Conference of Parties (COP; the official biannual meeting where Parties review the Convention) are well documented. We aimed to analyse Twitter data to gain insights into tobacco industry tactics, arguments and allies.MethodsWe retrieved 9089 tweets that included #COP8FCTC between 1 and 9 October 2018. We categorised the tweets’ content and sentiment through manual coding and machine learning. We used an investigative procedure using publicly available information to categorise the most active Twitter users and investigate tobacco industry links. Network analysis was used to visualise interactions and detect communities.ResultsMost tweets were about next-generation products (NGPs) or ‘harm reduction’ (54%) and tended to argue in support of NGPs; around one-quarter were critical of tobacco control (24%). The largest proportion of most active tweeters were NGP advocates, and slightly over half of those had either links to the Philip Morris International (PMI) funded Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW) and/or to the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations, a network to whom the FSFW granted US$100 300 in 2018. PMI was the most active transnational tobacco company during COP8.ConclusionsThe nature of the activity on Twitter around COP8, including a substantial online presence by PMI executives and NGP advocates with links to organisations funded directly and indirectly by PMI, is highly consistent with PMI’s 2014 corporate affairs strategy, which described engaging tobacco harm reduction advocates to ‘amplify and leverage the debate on harm reduction’ around events such as the COP.

Teachers’ Perceptions of Consumer Education in Primary Schools in Finland

Operating in today’s markets is challenging due to information overload and an expanding choice of products. Children also encounter these complex markets at an early age. Providing consumer education in schools is an excellent opportunity to enhance their ability to think critically and increase their awareness. However, it would be a mistake to ignore the interconnections between consumer education and entrepreneurship education, since active and innovative people are also a prerequisite for future development. Taking advantage of the opportunity to provide consumer education in schools requires teachers to be familiar with consumer issues. This article aims to discuss the perceptions and experiences that primary school teachers in Finland have regarding children’s consumer education in schools. This study was conducted using the phenomenographic qualitative method to analyse data from teacher interviews. The analysis revealed a set of categories that describes the various ways the participants perceive and experience children’s consumer education in schools. These categories include themes, actors, teaching methods and the challenges and expectations teachers relate to children’s consumer education. The findings of this study are worth exploring when planning how to support teachers’ consumer educational competences for a sustainable future. The authors consider that this article is especially valuable for curriculum planners, educators, consumer organisations and parents’ associations, because it shed light on teachers’ perspectives about consumer education.

How do health consumer organisations in Australia manage pharmaceutical industry sponsorship? A cross-sectional study

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate how health consumer organisations manage their relationships with the pharmaceutical industry in Australia. Methods We identified 230 health consumer organisations that received pharmaceutical industry support from 2013 to 2016 according to reports published by Medicines Australia, the industry trade association. A random sample of 133 organisations was selected and their websites assessed for financial transparency, policies governing corporate sponsorship and evidence of potential industry influence. Results In all, 130 of the 133 organisations evaluated received industry funding. Of these 130, 68 (52.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 43.4–61.1%) disclosed this funding. Nearly all (67; 98.5%) reported the identity of their industry donors, followed by uses (52.9%), amount (13.2%) and proportion of income from industry (4.4%). Less than one-fifth (24/133; 18.0%; 95% CI 11.9–25.6%) had publicly available policies on corporate sponsorship. Six organisations (7.2%; 95% CI 2.7–15.1%) had board members that were currently or previously employed by pharmaceutical companies, and 49 (36.8%; 95% CI 28.6–45.6%) had company logos, web links or advertisements on their websites. Conclusion Industry-funded health consumer organisations in Australia have low transparency when reporting industry funding and few have policies governing corporate sponsorship. Relationships between health consumer organisations and the industry require effective actions to minimise the risks of undue influence. What is known about this topic? Pharmaceutical industry funding of health consumer organisations is common in the US and Europe, yet only a minority of such organisations publicly disclose this funding and have policies regulating their relationships with industry. What does this paper add? Industry-funded health consumer organisations in Australia have inadequate financial transparency and rarely have policies addressing corporate funding. Organisations that have received more industry funding are more likely to report it publicly. What are the implications for practitioners? Robust policies addressing corporate sponsorship and increased transparency are needed to maintain the independence of health consumer organisations. Governments may also consider regulating non-profit organisations to ensure public reporting of funding sources.

Depression and antidepressants in Australia and beyond: A critical public health analysis

In Australia and most developed countries, depression has vaulted from an obscure affliction to a high-profile modern epidemic, accompanied by a significant escalation in antidepressant prescribing. A strong orthodoxy has developed that depression is common, serious, and treatable, and that the appropriate treatment is antidepressants. However, there are public health and social grounds for questioning this orthodox story. Vastly more people are being diagnosed with depression, and treated with antidepressants, now than several decades ago. Yet diagnosis of depression is subjective, and is based on highly criticised criteria. Furthermore, the evidence that underpins the orthodoxy is weak and biased, and this is compounded by biased interpretation and selective reporting, particularly in relation to clinical trials of antidepressants.Two analytical approaches are used in this thesis. The first is critical analysis of the objective validity of specific claims and assumptions about depression and antidepressants, using a mixture of epidemiological analysis and critical appraisal skills from the evidence-based medicine field. The second approach is a broad analysis of strategies used by advocates of the orthodoxy. This includes an analysis of how claims about depression and antidepressants and related issues such as suicide are deployed in the depression arena, focusing on what claims have been made, by which players, in which contexts, for which reasons, and with what impact. Also analysed are pharmaceutical industry marketing strategies, and strategies used by other players such as psychiatrists and consumer organisations, all of which often utilise claims about depression and so on.The orthodox story has been promoted by many players, including psychiatrists, pharmaceutical companies, marketing companies, health professional organisations, consumer organisations, governments and government agencies, and the media. These players interact in complex ways, based on overlapping and synergistic agendas.Key players have strongly promoted the orthodox story, despite contrary evidence, systematically exaggerating the prevalence and severity of depression and the effectiveness and safety of antidepressants for both depression and suicide prevention. Pharmaceutical companies have played a key role in the establishment and maintenance of the orthodoxy, skilfully recruiting other players to their cause.A detailed case-study analyses how key players, including prominent psychiatrists and consumer advocacy organisations and pharmaceutical companies, have succeeded in making depression a central focus of Australian mental health policy, fuelling the boom in antidepressant prescribing. Not only have antidepressants been remarkably successfully and profitably sold in Australia, but also depression has been reified and marketed as an all-purpose explanation for distress. As well as exposing many thousands of people to adverse effects of antidepressants, this has deflected attention from social determinants of well-being.

Research priorities for childhood chronic conditions: a workshop report

BackgroundChronic conditions are the leading cause of mortality, morbidity and disability in children. However, children and caregivers are rarely involved in identifying research priorities, which may limit the value of research in supporting patient-centred practice and policy.ObjectiveTo identify priorities of patients, caregivers and health professionals for research in childhood chronic conditions and describe the reason for their choices.SettingAn Australian paediatric hospital and health consumer organisations.MethodsRecruited participants (n=73) included patients aged 8 to 14 years with a chronic condition (n=3), parents/caregivers of children aged 0 to 18 years with a chronic condition (n=19), representatives from consumer organisations (n=13) and health professionals including clinicians, researches (n=38) identified and discussed research priorities. Transcripts were thematically analysed.ResultsSeventy-eight research questions were identified. Five themes underpinned participants’ priorities: maintaining a sense of normality (enabling participation in school, supporting social functioning, promoting understanding and acceptance), empowering self-management and partnership in care (overcoming communication barriers, gaining knowledge and skills, motivation for treatment adherence, making informed decisions, access and understanding of complementary and alternative therapies),strengthening ability to cope (learning to have a positive outlook, preparing for home care management, transitioning to adult services), broadening focus to family (supporting sibling well-being, parental resilience and financial loss, alleviating caregiver burden), and improving quality and scope of health and social care (readdressing variability and inequities, preventing disease complications and treatment side effects, identifying risk factors, improving long-term outcomes, harnessing technology, integrating multidisciplinary services).ConclusionResearch priorities identified by children, caregivers and health professionals emphasise a focus on life participation, psychosocial well-being, impact on family and quality of care. These priorities may be used by funding and policy organisations in establishing a paediatric research agenda.

Labelling of food: A challenge for many

Background: In food marketing, there is a trend towards artisanal, traditional ?honest? food, and simultaneously to good looking, long lasting, multi-purpose food with a clean label. In addition, marketeers like to upgrade the image of the food, including the label, using various digital techniques. This can produce (un)intended non-conformities with the current food law on labelling, which in this review, refers to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (European Union, 2011). Food and meat labelling have been subjected to increased regulation in the recent years, sometimes after scandals (horse-gate, food fraud), sometimes due to wishes of consumer organisations (nutritional information) and sometimes after the introduction of new types of ingredients (sweeteners, phytosterols, nanomaterials). Scope and approach: This review provides information about food labelling. Some experiences gathered by food inspectorate personnel in practice, with reference to the literature data, positive aspects, main problems and trends are discussed. Key findings and conclusion: Food labelling is a complex requirement, with the general demands written down in the harmonized regulation (European Union, 2011). Foods sold by e-commerce must also follow these same regulations. However, many food labels on the market show smaller and/or bigger deviations from the legal requirements, which should be appropriately addressed by the food manufacturers or packers, but also by the competent authorities. Even training of consumers seems to be needed, since all this information is, in the end, intended for consumers to aptly utilise.

‘Lost and confused’: parent representative groups’ perspectives on child and family health services in Australia

Consumer involvement in health care is widely accepted in policy and service delivery. Australia offers universal health services for families with children aged 0 to 5 years, provided by child and family health nurses and general practitioners. Services include, but are not limited to, monitoring and promoting child health and development, and supporting parents. This paper reports consumer representatives’ perspectives on Australian parents’ needs and experiences of child and family health services, identifying facilitators and barriers to service utilisation. Twenty-six representatives from consumer organisations explored families’ experiences through focus groups. Qualitative data were analysed thematically. Consumer representatives identified several key implications for families using primary health services: feeling ‘lost and confused’ on the parenting journey; seeking continuity and partnership; feeling judged; and deciding to discontinue services. Participants highlighted accessible, timely, non-judgmental and appropriate interactions with healthcare professionals as vital to positive consumer experiences and optimal health and developmental outcomes. Representatives indicated that families value the fundamentals of well-designed health services: trust, accessibility, continuity, knowledge and approachability. However, both consumers and service providers face barriers to effective ongoing engagement in universally provided services.