Scope of implementation of food environment policy in Côte d'Ivoire and prioritization of actions using the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI)

Dohe Franck Tieissiehi; Marie-Christine  Etty; Amoin Georgette  Konan; Koffi Pierre Valery  Niaba; Francis  Kouassi; Julien Soliba  Manga; Jean Claude  Moubarac; Stefanie  Vandevijvere; Adama  Diouf; Rebecca Rachel  Assa

doi:10.23751/pn.v27i4.17461

Scope of implementation of food environment policy in Côte d'Ivoire and prioritization of actions using the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI)

Authors

Dohe Franck Tieissiehi Ecole Doctorale Biologie Environnement et Santé (ED_BES), UPR Biochimie et Sciences des Aliments, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7437-4673
Marie-Christine Etty Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive (DMSP) et Centre de recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP), Université de Montréal, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0222-576X
Dr Konan Amoin Georgette UFR Biosciences, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire (CSRS), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3556-6579
Dr Niaba Koffi Pierre Valery Département de Biochimie et Microbiologie, Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé, Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7437-4673
Dr Kouassi Francis SE-CONNAPE, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7437-4673
Dr Manga Julien Soliba Département de Nutrition ,Université de Montréal, TRANSNUT, Montréal, Canada https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7437-4673
Pr Jean-Claude Moubarac Département de Nutrition, Université de Montréal, TRANSNUT, Montréal, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8409-7855
Dr Stefanie Vandevijvere Sciensano, Service of Lifestyle and Chronic Diseases, Brussels, Belgium https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3225-7524
Pr Adama Diouf Département de Biologie Animale, Laboratoire de Recherche en Nutrition et Alimentation Humaine (LARNAH), Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Sénégal https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7437-4673
Pr Assa Rebecca Rachel UFR Biosciences, UPR Biochimie et Sciences des Aliments, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7437-4673

Keywords:

Food-EPI, Côte d'Ivoire, Public policy, Level of implementation, healthy eating environments

Abstract

Background and aim: The nutrition transition, marked by evolving dietary habits, has negatively impacted food systems in Côte d’Ivoire. This study evaluated existing public health nutrition policies and identified strategic interventions to foster healthier food environments

Methods: This study was conducted using the Food-EPI tool, developed by the INFORMAS network and adapted to the Ivorian context. The tool comprises two core components (policy and infrastructure support), 13 domains, and 59 good practice indicators - including 12 novel indicators specifically addressing the double burden of malnutrition

Results: Among the 59 indicators, the implementation level of nutrition policies in Côte d'Ivoire was rated as 'very low' for none, 'low' for 34, 'medium' for 24, and 'high' for only one. From the 115 identified actions, 20 were prioritized and recommended to the government for improving food environments. These actions specifically address school food environments, breastfeeding promotion, and nutrition financing

Conclusions: This study revealed low overall implementation of nutrition policies. Consequently, priority actions were identified to enhance food environments and effectively address the double burden of malnutrition in Côte d’Ivoire.

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