INFORMAS Europe is a European network of research groups measuring food environments, investigating the impact of food environments and related policies on health and assessing the implementation of recommended food environment policies by the main actors to increase accountability for action.
The specific objectives of the network are:
- Collect, collate and analyze data on public and private sector policies and actions, food environments, population diets, obesity and NCDs
- Compare and communicate the progress on improving food environments against best practice benchmarks, between countries and over time
- Use the results to strengthen public health efforts, particularly by supporting the translation of relevant evidence into public and private sector actions.
What is INFORMAS?
INFORMAS (International Network for Food and Obesity / Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) Research, Monitoring and Action Support) is a global network of public-interest organisations and researchers that aims to monitor, benchmark and support public and private sector actions to increase healthy food environments and reduce obesity and NCDs and their related inequalities.
The INFORMAS framework consists of two ‘process’ modules that monitor the policies and actions of the public and private sectors, and seven ‘impact’ modules that monitor the key characteristics of food environments. Monitoring frameworks and indicators have been developed for the modules to provide consistent data collection and analysis.
What are food environments?
Unhealthy diets and excess energy intake are modifiable factors that contribute to disease and disability in Europe. One of the main factors contributing to unhealthy diets is unhealthy food environments, defined as the collective physical, economic, policy and sociocultural surroundings, opportunities and conditions that influence people’s food and beverage choices and nutritional status.
Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI)
Food-EPI is a tool and process to assess the extent of implementation of recommended food environment policies by national governments compared with international best practices and to derive priority actions to fill implementation gaps.
Business Impact Assessment on Obesity and Population Nutrition (BIA-Obesity)
BIA-Obesity is a tool and process to measure the commitments, performance and disclosure practices of the major food companies at the national level.
News from STOP
- World Obesity Day 2021: Every body needs everybody, and this includes youth March 4, 20212020 has shown that many aspects of our health are not only determined by ourselves, but are often shaped by the society we live in. COVID-19 has highlighted the treat obesity poses to us as […]
- New report on the STOP stakeholders’ engagement work February 8, 2021In 2019, we held the first STOP stakeholder conference where we presented the results and insights from a survey disseminated earlier in the year. The objective of this survey was to get a better understanding […]
- Socio-Economic Disparities in Pre-Adolescent Obesity Treatment January 25, 2021Overweight and obesity affect more than 25% of children in Europe, and over 40% in some individual countries. Children from population groups exposed to socio-economic vulnerabilities tend to be disproportionately affected by obesity. While many […]
- Effectiveness of Physical Activity Interventions to Prevent Obesity January 22, 2021Physical activity has been associated with improved physical and mental health in both adults and children. It has also been linked to improved cognitive and academic performance. Schools provide a good setting for physical activity […]
- Impact of Food Reformulation on Food Choices, Nutrient Intakes and Health Status January 21, 2021Considering the high levels of processed food intake in Europe, reformulating food products to improve their nutritional properties can help create healthier food environments and reduce the impacts of diet-related health conditions, such as obesity. […]
- Improving School Food Environments to Prevent Childhood Obesity: What Works? January 20, 2021The global prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity continues to rise. Obesity is often caused by poor diet, and many children live in obesogenic environments that encourage the consumption of energy-dense foods. Schools can be […]
- Using Behavioural Insights to Influence Children’s Diets January 19, 2021The global prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity continues to rise. Many children live in obesogenic environments that encourage the consumption of energy-dense foods. Policies informed by ‘behavioural insights’ have shown potential for improving children’s […]
- Press Release: STOP Publishes its Latest Findings January 19, 2021The STOP project has released its latest findings. Read the press release here
- STOP project funds an additional innovative industry-led pilot project to address childhood obesity across Europe October 27, 2020Based on the recent figures highlighted in the Global Atlas on Childhood Obesity, 158 million children between 5 and 19 years are living with obesity globally, a number that is predicted to increase to 254 […]
- STOP’s fourth newsletter released! October 27, 2020The fourth STOP newsletter has been released! In this issue, you can read about our project updates, as well as internal and external events and news. Find out about the impact COVID-19 is having on […]