Conclusions and Next Steps in Improving Food Environments

This chapter discusses the gaping void in relation to the understanding of the food environment. The importance of the food environment in relation to reducing inequalities in diet and consequently health, as well as sustainability issues, are also discussed here. Also denoted on the map is where there is evidence that progress has been made to reduce diet inequalities. The relationships between food environments and eating behaviour are complex. Many workers in low- and middle-income countries are informally employed, accessing food at their workplaces through informal and poorly regulated food sectors, such as street food. Evidence from the UK illustrates the positive impact of standards in school food environments. More research is needed, particularly in food environments where strong interventions have been tested and evaluated such as in community spaces. A reluctance to improve unhealthy food environments will inevitably increase the financial burden on health care systems in order to manage the resulting diet-related chronic diseases.