Food and nutrition policies: Cooperation or containment?

Background – A number of countries have published food and nutrition policies and national action plans following the first International Conference on Nutrition, 1992, including Australia, New Zealand and Canada.  What has happened as a result of these policy actions and what has been achieved? To what extent is international cooperation a core strategy in achieving outcomes, or does it contain the policy agendas?
Objective - Assess the food and nutrition policy and program actions of Australia, New Zealand and Canada governments against a framework based on elements from the WHO Global Strategy, the New Nutrition Science framework and the WHO European Region’s Action Plans for Food and Nutrition Policy.
Design – Document analysis of key Australian food and nutrition policies and surveys of key government departments, agencies and committees were undertaken. 
Outcomes - At national and state levels, policy action has been taken in some areas (specific strategies to address childhood obesity), but is less consistent in other areas (agricultural policies or fiscal policies).  Examples of policy cooperation include common food standards in Australia and New Zealand and memoranda of understanding between Australia and Canada on food safety assessment.  Examples of policy containment include poor links between nutrition and food safety, impacts of agricultural policy on food security and policy foci on nutritional science rather than nutrition outcomes.  The roles of institutional arrangements, professional influences and political economic philosophies are examined.
Conclusions - National governments have not been held accountable for progress toward achieving public health food and nutrition goals.  As countries move toward consistency in policies, a narrowing or containment of policy agendas is evidenced, resulting in missed opportunities for effective action and improved health outcomes.  Recommendations are made on strategies for public health engagement in food and nutrition policy actions.