Food projects in London: Lessons for policy and practice — A hidden sector and the need for `more unhealthy puddings … sometimes'

Abstract

Background and Objective Successive governments have promoted local action to address food components of public health. This article presents findings from research commissioned by the (then) London NHS Office, scoping the range of food projects in the London area, and the potential challenges to public health practice.

Methods Research followed four overlapping phases with a London focus: (1) a systemized review of the literature, (2) analysis of health authority Health Improvement Plans (HImPs) and Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) local implementation plans and Health Action Zone reports, (3) a scoping exercise of`food projects' and community-based participatory projects with a food focus using food databases and directories, and (4) 29 in-depth interviews with individuals responsible for commissioning and running projects.

Results There were, in 2001/2, a variety of food projects in the London area, ranging from small-scale social enterprises to those whose turnover marked them out as small businesses. There was a significant human resource cost in maintaining and setting up such projects both from NHS staff and in terms of volunteer and paid labour. The lack of an overall or area-based approach to food policy development in London was apparent, and little thought seemed to have been given to creating a supportive policy environment. Food projects often existed as isolated entities in a borough or health authority area, with short-term funding and little systemic long-term support. The majority employed what might best be called health education approaches. This is now partially addressed by the draft London Food Strategy.

Conclusions Food projects run by local professionals and/or volunteers operated within an isolated policy and suffered from a lack of support both from financial and human resources perspectives. The potential for long-term delivery of improved health was unrealized, as was their potential contribution to a London-wide food economy and to London food policy.

Keywords

food co-ops food policy local/community food projects London public health

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Brunner E. , Cohen D. , Toon L. Cost effectiveness of cardiovascular disease prevention strategies: A perspective on EU food based dietary guidelines. Public Health Nutrition , 2001: 4(2B): 711—15.

Food Standards Agency. Research and Survey Programmes: Annual Report 2004. London: Food Standards Agency, 2004.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food: Facing the Future. London: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2002 .

Mackenzie M. , Lawson L. , Mackinnon J. , Meth F. , Truman J. National Evaluation of Health Action Zones. The Integrated Case Studies: A Move Toward Whole Systems Change? Glasgow: Health Promotion Policy Unit, University of Glasgow, 2003.

Big Lottery Fund. Healthy Living Centres: Findings From Year Three of the Programme Evaluation. Big Lottery Fund Research, Issue 19. London: Big Lottery Fund , 2005.

Robertson A. , Tirado C. , Lobstein T. , Jermini M. , Knai C. , Jensen JH , Ferro-Luzzi A. , and James Wpt. Food and Health in Europe: A New Basis for Action. Copenhagen : WHO Regional Publications, European Series no 96, 2004.

Pomerleau J. , McKee M. , Lobstein T. , Knai C. The burden of disease attributable to nutrition in Europe. Public Health Nutrition, 2003: 6(5): 453—61.

Department of Health. Tackling Health Inequalities: The Results of the Consultation Exercise. London: Department of Health, 2002.

Department of Health. Choosing a Better Diet: A Food and Health Action Plan. London: Department of Health, 2005.

10.

HM Treasury. Spending Review: New Public Spending Plans 2003—2006. London: HM Treasury, 2002.

11.

Department of Health. The Cancer Plan. London: Department of Health, 2000.

12.

Department of Health. Choosing Health: Making Healthy Choices Easier. London: Department of Health, 2004.

13.

Dowler E. , Turner S. , Dobson B. Poverty Bites: Food, Health and Poor Families. London: Child Poverty Action Group, 2001.

14.

Dowler E. , Caraher M. Local food projects: The new philanthropy? Political Quarterly , 2003: 74(1): 57—65.

15.

Caraher M. Food for thought: Food and regeneration. Local Work: Voice. Centre for Local Economic Strategies, 2005: 4: 1—4.

16.

Anderson A. , Ellaway A. , Macintyre S. , McColl K. , Callander R. , Oswald J. Community Food Initiatives in Scotland: Final Report. A review commissioned by the Health Education Board for Scotland. Edinburgh: Health Education Board for Scotland, 1996.

17.

McGlone P. , Dobson B. , Dowler E. , Nelson M. Food Projects and How They Work. York: York Publishing for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation , 1999.

18.

Dowler E. The role of community food initiatives. In: J McCormick (Ed), Healthy Food Policy: On Scotland's Menu ? Edinburgh: Scottish Council Foundation /Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2000 .

19.

National Consumer Council. Everyday Essentials: Meeting Basic Needs. London: National Consumer Council, 2003.

20.

Food Matters/Sustain. Social Enterprise for Community Projects : A Solution to the Conundrum, or Just another Fashionable Magic Bullet? London: Sustain, 2005.

21.

Whatmore S. , Stassart P. , Renting H.

What's alternative about alternative food networks?

Environment and Planning A, 2003: 35: 389—91.

22.

Sustain. Capital Eats: An Analysis of London's Food Economy. London: Sustain, 2004.

23.

Tingay RS , Tan CJ , Tan Ncw , Tan S. , Teoh PF , Wong R. , Guilliford MC Food insecurity and low income in an English inner city. Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2003: 25(2): 156—9.

24.

Dowler E.

Budgeting for food on low income: The case of lone parents. Food

Policy, 1998: 22(5): 405—17.

25.

Flick U. An Introduction to Qualitative Research. London: Sage, 1998.

26.

Qsr Nud. IST Application Software Package. Melbourne Qualitative Solutions and Research, 1997.

27.

Brand MB , Mulrow CD , et al. Dieting to reduce body weight for controlling hypertension in adults. In: Hypertension Module of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews/The Cochrane Library, 1997 : 4(1) (Databse on disk and CDROM).

28.

Dowler L. , Caraher M. , Michaels S. , Diamond S. , Delow E. , Couzens C. , Woodland A. The Value and Potential of Local Food Initiatives in the West Midlands Region: A Report to Advantage West Midlands. Coventry: University of Warwick, 2004.

29.

Caraher M. , Cowburn G. A survey of food projects in the English NHS regions. Health Education Journal, 2004: 63(3): 197—219.

30.

Food Standards Agency, LACORS and LGA. Food: The Local Vision, a Joint Statement by the LGA, Lacors and the FSA. London: Food Standards Agency, 2002 .

31.

Defra. Local Food — A Snapshot of The Sector Report of The Working Group on Local Food. London: DEFRA, 2003.

32.

World Health Organization. Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. WHO/HPR/ HEP/95.1. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1986.

33.

Caraher M. , Reynolds J. Lessons for home economics pedagogy and practice. Journal of the Home Economics Institute of Australia, 2005: 12(2): 2—15.

34.

Chapman S. , Lupton D. The Fight for Public Health: Principles and Practice of Media Advocacy. London: BMJ Publishing Group, 1994 .

35.

McKinlay JB The promotion of health through planned sociopolitical change: Challenges for research and policy. Social Science and Medicine, 1993: 36(2): 109—17.

36.

McKinlay JB , Marceau LD Upstream health public policy: Lessons from the battle of tobacco. International Journal of Health Services , 2000: 30(1): 49—69.

37.

Department of Health. The Report of the Chief Medical Officer's Project to Strengthen the Public Health Function. London: Department of Health, 2001 .

38.

Mayor of London, London Food and London Development Agency. Better Food for London: The Mayor's Draft Food Strategy . London: London Development Agency , 2005.

39.

Department for Education and Skills. Healthy Food in Schools — Transforming School Meals. 2005. Online. Available: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2005_0044 (accessed 20 April 2006).