Health PromotionHealth Promotion and Nutrition PolicyNutrition Policy by Governments

Health promotion campaigns of various types have been conducted: in communities, at worksites, and in physician offices. The most common targets have been smoking, exercise, and people’s diets, such as the intake of fruits and vegetables. The aim has most often been to reduce excess weight, lower blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose, and prevent coronary heart disease (CHD). The results of these campaigns have been mixed. Some have achieved very little while others have met with moderate success. Typically, target outcomes have been improved by a few percentage points and this should reduce the risk of CHD by about 5–15%. In light of this limited success of health promotion programs, government policy initiatives are needed to improve population health. This includes reducing the food content of trans fatty acids and salt and the use of taxes and subsidies to adjust the price of various foods so as to shift consumption patterns to healthier foods. Other policy measures should include restrictions on the advertising of unhealthy food, especially to children. I propose a comprehensive action plan (strategic nutrition) that covers all the key topics including health promotion and action policies by governments. Policy measures along these lines are likely to meet with resistance from food corporations.