title: Developing a timeline for evaluating public health nutrition policy interventions. What are the outcomes and when should we expect to see them?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a timeline for evaluating public health nutrition policy interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Concept mapping, a stakeholder-driven approach for developing an evaluation framework to estimate the 'time to impact' for policy interventions. The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 was used as the model to develop the evaluation timeline as it had typical characteristics of government policy. Concept mapping requires stakeholders to generate a list of the potential outcomes, sort and rate the outcomes. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster data analysis were used to develop an anticipated timeline to impact for the policy.
  
  
  METHODS
  United Kingdom.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eleven stakeholders representing nutrition, public health, medicine, education and catering in a range of sectors: research, policy, local government, National Health Service and schools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-five possible outcomes were identified and grouped into thirteen clusters describing higher-level themes (e.g. long-term health, food literacy, economics, behaviour, diet, education). Negative and unintended consequences were anticipated relatively soon after implementation of the policy, whereas positive outcomes (e.g. dietary changes, health benefits) were thought likely to take longer to emerge. Stakeholders responsible for implementing the legislation anticipated that it would take longer to observe changes than those from policy or research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Developing an anticipated timeline provides a realistic framework upon which to base an outcome evaluation for policy interventions and identifies positive and negative outcomes as well as considering possible unintended consequences. It offers benefit to both policy makers and researchers in mapping the progress expected towards long-term health goals and outcomes.
authors: Public Health Nutrition Research Group, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK. j.macdiarmid@abdn.ac.uk
authors: Jennie I
authors: JI
authors: Macdiarmid
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Loe
authors: Flora
authors: F
authors: Douglas
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Ludbrook
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Comerford
authors: Geraldine
authors: G
authors: McNeill
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011634:Public Health; D011640:Public Policy; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom