Barriers and enablers for healthy food systems and environments: The role of local governments.

Abstract

Food systems at all levels are experiencing various states of dysfunction and crisis, and in turn their governance contributes to other intensifying crises, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and the rapid expansion of dietary-related non-communicable diseases. In many jurisdictions governments at local, state and national levels are taking action to tackle some of the key challenges confronting food systems through a range of regulatory, legislative and fiscal measures. This article comprises a narrative review summarising recent relevant literature with a focus on the intersection between corporate power and public health. The review sought to identify some of the principal barriers for the design and support of healthy food systems and environments, as well as key reforms that can be adopted to address these barriers, with a focus on the role of local governments.