THE DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF A FOOD AND NUTRITION POLICY WITHIN A LOCAL HEALTH PLAN

Local food and health policies were initiated in the UK in the early 1 980s, and this paper traces developments in Leicestershire, England. T he first policy was launched in 1987, which promoted the nutrition edu cation messages of that time (less fat, more fibre and less sugar), pr imarily within the National Health Service. As a result of the publica tion of the Health of the Nation Green Paper in 1991, a local health p lan was developed for Leicestershire, in which nutrition formed an int egral part. Wider perspectives on nutrition have evolved reflecting th e multidisciplinary approach to developing the Food and Nutrition Poli cy. In addition, updating of the nutrition messages in the local Food and Nutrition Policy has occurred to reflect the shift in emphasis tow ards nutritional adequacy and balance. The scope for implementation is now much wider, involving several key settings in the community, and there is an increased emphasis on monitoring and evaluation.