Policies to Decrease Dietary Risk Factors in Populations: A Scoping Review of the Global Experiences

World health organization has identified unhealthy eating behaviors as one of the modifiable behavioral risk factors. Since sugar, salt, saturated and total fats, and trans-fatty acids are consumed much more than recommended, substantial decreases in these components as dietary risk factors are urgently needed. The study reviewed evidence on possible dietary risk decrease strategies to describe prevention programs.

In this study, SCOPUS, Web of Knowledge (ISI), EMBASE, PubMed, Google/Google Scholar, ProQuest, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception through 16 November 2022 to find policies that decreased consumption of dietary risk factors. Two researchers independently screened, appraised, and extracted the retrieved papers. Due to heterogeneity, only descriptive analyses were carried out.

Four studies were included in the review. Three studies focused on decreasing sodium/salt and one on decreasing trans-fatty acids in industrial foods. Studies used various indicators and methods to indicate their achievements. The overall results based on the selected indicators demonstrated the projects' relative success in decreasing risk factors of foods.

Despite achievements in decreasing dietary risk factors in industrial foods, there is still a long way to go. Since various indicators show various aspects of the achievements, sufficient considerations in preparing sensitive and specific indicators are warranted.