Healthy Food Environment Policy Index Country Scorecards and Priority Recommendations for Action in Kenya

Abstract

Background Like other African countries, Kenya is experiencing rapid urbanization, accompanied by increasing levels of obesity and other diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs); with higher levels among urban residents, and women in particular. The overconsumption of unhealthy diets that are energy-dense and nutrient-poor is implicated in the onset of diet-related NCDs; with growing evidence that unhealthy food environments drive unhealthy diets. Comprehensive government action is needed to create healthier food environments; to support people to consume healthier diets; and to reduce obesity and diet-related NCDs as well as their related inequalities. What we did The extent of implementation of food environment policies in Kenya was assessed and priority actions were identified for the government to implement, with its partners, to create healthier food environments. Methods based on the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) by INFORMAS (International Network for Food and Obesity/NCDs Research, Monitoring and Action Support) were used. Between October 2017 and August 2018, a cross-country team of researchers trained by a Food-EPI expert implemented the Kenya Food-EPI exercise. Evidence on the extent of government action to implement food environment policies was collected across 13 policy and infrastructure support domains and 43 related indicators of good practice As part of the process, a panel of 16 local experts rated the extent of government action on each indicator of good practice against international best practices (‘high’, ‘medium’, ‘low’ or ‘very little’) and against a within country planning and development cycle (‘initiation’, ‘in development’, ‘implementation’ or ‘evaluation’). Actions for the government to implement to improve food environments in Kenya were identified and prioritized.