Facilitators and barriers to the formulation of public policies on food and nutrition: A scoping review

This scoping review aims to identify facilitators and barriers to the formulation of public policies on food and nutrition across different contexts. The Scope review was conducted in seven databases. The search strategy was designed using research terms (and their derivatives) and included combinations of ‘nutrition’, ‘food’, ‘policy’, ‘guideline’, ‘action plan’, ‘strategy’, and ‘process’. All stages of data selection and extraction were independently performed by pairs of researchers. A narrative synthesis was developed to present the findings. A total of 17 articles were published in scientific journals, containing data from 28 countries across five continents (Africa, North and South America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania). The studies, published between 1979 and 2023, documented processes for developing policies, programs, and public plans for food and nutrition. The facilitators and barriers described in the policy development process were identified, and they were grouped into seven categories: (1) governance, (2) intersectoral negotiations, (3) political will, (4) policy characteristics, (5) team profile, (6) availability and use of data, and (7) conflict of interest and interference from the private sector. Except for conflict of interest, all categories were pointed out as elements that can potentially facilitate or hinder the policy development process. Understanding the facilitators and barriers to public policy formulation can impact the development process, such as reducing development time or formulating responses that are better aligned with the needs of the population. Policymakers can develop strategies to minimize the impact of barriers and leverage facilitators to develop more efficient policies with better outcomes.