title: Development of the policy indicator checklist: a tool to identify and measure policies for calorie-dense foods and sugar-sweetened beverages across multiple settings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We developed the policy indicator checklist (PIC) to identify and measure policies for calorie-dense foods and sugar-sweetened beverages to determine how policies are clustered across multiple settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2012 and 2013 we used existing literature, policy documents, government recommendations, and instruments to identify key policies. We then developed the PIC to examine the policy environments across 3 settings (communities, schools, and early care and education centers) in 8 communities participating in the Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Project.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Principal components analysis revealed 5 components related to calorie-dense food policies and 4 components related to sugar-sweetened beverage policies. Communities with higher youth and racial/ethnic minority populations tended to have fewer and weaker policy environments concerning calorie-dense foods and healthy foods and beverages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PIC was a helpful tool to identify policies that promote healthy food environments across multiple settings and to measure and compare the overall policy environments across communities. There is need for improved coordination across settings, particularly in areas with greater concentration of youths and racial/ethnic minority populations. Policies to support healthy eating are not equally distributed across communities, and disparities continue to exist in nutrition policies.
authors: Rebecca E. Lee is with the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix. Allen M. Hallett, Nathan Parker, and Daniel P. O'Connor are with the Texas Obesity Research Center and the Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston. Ousswa Kudia is with the Department of Behavioral Science, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston. Dennis Kao is with the Department of Social Work, California State University, Fullerton. Maria Modelska and Hanadi Rifai are with the Texas Obesity Research Center and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston.
authors: Rebecca E
authors: RE
authors: Lee
authors: Allen M
authors: AM
authors: Hallett
authors: Nathan
authors: N
authors: Parker
authors: Ousswa
authors: O
authors: Kudia
authors: Dennis
authors: D
authors: Kao
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Modelska
authors: Hanadi
authors: H
authors: Rifai
authors: Daniel P
authors: DP
authors: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D001628:Beverages; D002149:Energy Intake; D005518:Food Preferences; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012574:Schools / Q000592:standards; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013549:Sweetening Agents
chemical_list: D013549:Sweetening Agents