Effectiveness of existing policies for lifestyle interventions - Policy Evaluation Network (PEN)
Policies to address physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and sedentary behaviour can affect the health and well-being of many people. However, it was unknown what policy measures had been implemented in Europe, what their effect is on lifestyle behaviours, and what the consequences are for socio-economic health inequalities. Also, there had not yet been a systematic study of how policy interventions are established and implemented.
Within the Joint Programming Initiative - a Healthy Diet for a Healthy life (JPI HDHL), 27 research institutes from seven European countries have bundled their expertise in the Policy Evaluation Network (PEN). The aim of PEN was to contribute to filling the knowledge gaps mentioned above.
Through the many project results, PEN has shown how best to design and evaluate policy implementation and impact to achieve the best results, thus promote the health of Europeans. In doing so, the project made clear recommendations on equality and diversity to ensure that policy actions are inclusive rather than exclusive, relevant to Europe's changing landscape, and culturally sensitive. The progress of PEN can also be followed on the project website.
Products
Author: Eykelenboom, Michelle, van Stralen, Maartje M., Olthof, Margreet R., Schoonmade, Linda J., Steenhuis, Ingrid H. M., Renders, Carry M.
Magazine: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Link: https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-019-0843-0
Author: Eykelenboom M, Van Stralen MM, Olthof MR , Renders CM, Steenhuis IHM
Magazine: Public Health Nutrition
Author: Lakerveld J, Woods C, Hebestreit A, Brenner H, Flechtner-Mors M, Harrington J, et al.
Magazine: Nature
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919220300750
Reports
Endreport
A selection of the most important findings that have been realized during the project period (2018-2022):
- PEN examined national and European policies to regulate the food environment and concluded that in the countries studied (Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, Germany, Poland) relevant policy measures are only moderately implemented.
- A new tool has been developed to assess and compare national policies on physical activity.
- The first steps have been successfully taken towards a gradual harmonization of existing lifestyle surveillance and monitoring systems and relevant lifestyle determinants, for different age groups.
- Models have been developed and evaluated to estimate the effect of policies.
- Aspects of successful policy implementation have been researched and translated into practical guidelines.
- A systems approach is needed to identify and address inequalities in exposure to, and accessibility and price of, unhealthy food and exercise environments
- A tax on sugary drinks is effective and accepted by the population provided the proceeds are used to support health initiatives.
- Concrete tools have been formulated to successfully implement school fruit programs.