Developing local board of health guidelines to promote healthy food access - King County, Washington, 2010-2012.
Policies that change environments are important tools for preventing chronic diseases, including obesity. Boards of health often have authority to adopt such policies, but few do so. This study assesses 1) how one local board of health developed a policy approach for healthy food access through vending machine guidelines (rather than regulations) and 2) the impact of the approach. Using a case study design guided by "three streams" policy theory and RE-AIM, we analyzed data from a focus group, interviews, and policy documents. The guidelines effectively supported institutional policy development in several settings. Recognition of the problem of chronic disease and the policy solution of vending machine guidelines created an opening for the board to influence nutrition environments. Institutions identified a need for support in adopting vending machine policies. Communities could benefit from the study board's approach to using nonregulatory evidence-based guidelines as a policy tool.
School of Public Health, Box 353410, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. Telephone: 206-616-7362. Email: equinn1@uw.edu.
Emilee
E
Quinn
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
Donna B
DB
Johnson
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, and Action for Healthy Food, Seattle, Washington. During this study, James Krieger was affiliated with Public Health - Seattle and King County, Seattle, Washington.
James
J
Krieger
Bastyr University, Kenmore, Washington. During this study, Erin MacDougall was affiliated with Public Health - Seattle and King County, Seattle, Washington.
Erin
E
MacDougall
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
Elizabeth
E
Payne
Public Health - Seattle and King County, Seattle, Washington.
Nadine L
NL
Chan
D000288:Administrative Personnel; D001628:Beverages / Q000145:classification; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004779:Environment Design; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D017144:Focus Groups; D005509:Food Dispensers, Automatic / Q000592:standards*; D005522:Food Services / Q000145:classification / Q000592:standards*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009111:Local Government; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009753:Nutritive Value; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D016134:Organizational Policy; D016730:Program Development; D011634:Public Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014861:Washington