title: An accountability framework to promote healthy food environments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the available literature on accountability frameworks to construct a framework that is relevant to voluntary partnerships between government and food industry stakeholders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 2012 and May 2013, a desk review of ten databases was conducted to identify principles, conceptual frameworks, underlying theories, and strengths and limitations of existing accountability frameworks for institutional performance to construct a new framework relevant to promoting healthy food environments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Food policy contexts within high-income countries to address obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible resources (n 26) were reviewed and the guiding principles of fifteen interdisciplinary frameworks were used to construct a new accountability framework.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strengths included shared principles across existing frameworks, such as trust, inclusivity, transparency and verification; government leadership and good governance; public deliberations; independent bodies recognizing compliance and performance achievements; remedial actions to improve accountability systems; and capacity to manage conflicts of interest and settle disputes. Limitations of the three-step frameworks and 'mutual accountability' approach were an explicit absence of an empowered authority to hold all stakeholders to account for their performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We propose a four-step accountability framework to guide government and food industry engagement to address unhealthy food environments as part of a broader government-led strategy to address obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases. An independent body develops clear objectives, a governance process and performance standards for all stakeholders to address unhealthy food environments. The empowered body takes account (assessment), shares the account (communication), holds to account (enforcement) and responds to the account (improvements).
authors.affiliation: 1World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention,Deakin Population Health Strategic Research Centre,School of Health and Social Development,Faculty of Health,Deakin University,221 Burwood Highway,Melbourne,Victoria 3125,Australia.
authors.forename: Vivica I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Kraak
authors.affiliation: 2Population Nutrition and Global Health,University of Auckland,Auckland,New Zealand.
authors.forename: Boyd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Swinburn
authors.affiliation: 3Public Health Nutrition,School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences,Faculty of Health,Deakin University,Burwood,Victoria,Australia.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.affiliation: 4School of Business,Faculty of Business and Law,Deakin University,Burwood,Victoria,Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D016265:Conflict of Interest; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006076:Government; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D018673:Nutrition Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D011634:Public Health; D012931:Social Environment; D012941:Social Responsibility