Globalization and Health最新文献

{"title":"The development of a method for the global health community to assess the proportion of food and beverage companies' sales that are derived from unhealthy foods.","authors":"Lauren Bandy, Jo Jewell, Madison Luick, Mike Rayner, Yuan Li, Katherine Shats, Susan Jebb, Suying Chang, Elizabeth Dunford","doi":"10.1186/s12992-023-00992-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12992-023-00992-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Corporate engagement with food and beverage companies who produce food associated with health harms is a divisive topic in the global nutrition community, with high-profile cases of conflict of interest increasingly coming under scrutiny. There is a need for an agreed method to support health organizations in deciding whether and how to engage with large food and beverage manufacturers.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The aim of this study was to develop a method to quantify the proportion of sales from food and beverage companies that are derived from unhealthy foods to support organizations in determining which companies might be considered high-risk for engagement.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The 2015 WHO Euro nutrient profile model was applied to 35,550 products from 1294 brands manufactured by the top 20 global food and beverage companies from seven countries (Australia, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, UK and USA). For the purpose of this study, products that met the WHO Euro criteria were classified as \"healthier\" and those that failed were classified as \"unhealthy\". Products were grouped by brand and weighted by the brand's value sales for 2020. The primary outcome was the proportion of each company's sales that were classified as unhealthy and healthier by company and category.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 89% of the top 20 companies' brand sales were classified as unhealthy. For every USD$10 spent on the top 20 companies' brands, only $1.10 was spent on products considered healthier. All companies saw the majority of their sales come from unhealthy foods, including soft drinks, confectionery and snacks. None of Red Bull or Ferrero's sales were classified as healthier and less than 5% of total sales were healthier for Mondelēz, Mars, and PepsiCo. Some companies had higher proportions of sales deriving from healthier products, including Grupo Bimbo (48%), Danone (34%) and Conagra (32%), although the majority of their sales were still derived from unhealthy foods.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The results presented in this study highlight the reliance the leading food and beverage companies have on sales of unhealthy products that are contributing to diet-related disease globally. The method and steps we have laid out here could be used by organizations in the global health community to identify companies that have conflicts of interest when it comes to engaging with governments, international organizations and public health bodies on issues of policy and regulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12747,"journal":{"name":"Globalization and Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"94"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10690999/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138470189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Much room for change: access to surgical care for stateless individuals in Pakistan.","authors":"Humza Thobani, Mashal Murad Shah, Anam N Ehsan, Sadaf Khan","doi":"10.1186/s12992-023-00972-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12992-023-00972-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As developing countries take steps towards providing universal essential surgery, ensuring the equitable distribution of such care for underrepresented populations is a vital function of the global surgery community. Unfortunately, in the context of the global \"stateless\", there remains much room for improvement.</p><p><strong>Key issues: </strong>Inherent structural deficiencies, such as lack of adequate population data on stateless communities, absent health coverage policies for stateless individuals, and minimal patient-reported qualitative data on barriers to surgical service delivery prevent stateless individuals from receiving the care they require - even when healthcare infrastructure to provide such care exists. The authors therefore propose more research and targeted interventions to address the systemic issues that prevent stateless individuals from accessing surgical care.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>It is essential to address the aforementioned barriers in order to improve stateless populations' access to surgical care. Rigorous empirical and qualitative research provides an important avenue through which these structural issues may be addressed.</p>","PeriodicalId":12747,"journal":{"name":"Globalization and Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"93"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10685708/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138451302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"COVID-19 and migrants: lessons for pandemic preparedness from the Malaysian experience.","authors":"Sharuna Verghis","doi":"10.1186/s12992-023-00988-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12992-023-00988-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Aligning with global evidence related to migrants and COVID-19, the pandemic highlighted and exposed long-standing structural inequities in the context of migrant populations in Malaysia who experienced a disproportionate level of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 morbidity, as well as exacerbated precarity during COVID-19 owing to disruptions to their livelihoods, health, and life.</p><p><strong>Main body: </strong>Focusing on COVID-19 and migrant workers in Malaysia, this review addresses two research queries: (i) what are the policy responses of the government toward migrants with regard to COVID-19? (ii) what are the lessons learned from the Malaysian experience of COVID-19 and migrants that can inform pandemic preparedness, especially regarding migrant health policy? The review used Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework refined by Levac, Colquhoun, and O'Brien. In addition to the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EBSCO databases, and Malaysian English language newspapers, including the Malay Mail, Malaysiakini, and the New Straits Times, the search also included reports from the websites of government ministries and departments, such as the Immigration Department, Ministry of Human Resources, Ministry of Health, and the International Trade and Industry Ministry.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Using the case example of Malaysia and the policy approach toward migrant populations in Malaysia during the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021, this paper unravels complex pathways and inter-linkages between the contexts of migration and health which coalesced to engender and exacerbate vulnerability to disease and ill-health for the migrant workers. The lack of coordination and coherence in policies addressing migrant workers during the pandemic, the normalization of cheap and disposable labor in neoliberal economic regimes, and the securitization of migration were key factors contributing to the failure of migration policies to provide protection to migrant workers during COVID-19. The review suggests that policy approaches embodying the principles of Health in All Policies, a whole-of-society approach, and the promotion of safe, just, and regular migration, predicated on equity and inclusion, are integral to a comprehensive and effective response to pandemics such as COVID-19.</p>","PeriodicalId":12747,"journal":{"name":"Globalization and Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"92"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10683307/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138444399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corruption risks in health procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-corruption, transparency and accountability (ACTA) mechanisms to reduce these risks: a rapid review.","authors":"Kari A Griffore, Andrea Bowra, Sara J T Guilcher, Jillian Kohler","doi":"10.1186/s12992-023-00994-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12992-023-00994-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Health systems are often susceptible to corruption risks. Corruption within health systems has been found to negatively affect the efficacy, safety, and, significantly, equitable distribution of health products. Enforcing effective anti-corruption mechanisms is important to reduce the risks of corruption but requires first an understanding of the ways in which corruption manifests. When there are public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, corruption risks can increase due to the need for accelerated rates of resource deployment that may result in the bypassing of standard operating procedures.</p><p><strong>Main body: </strong>A rapid review was conducted to examine factors that increased corruption risks during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as potential anti-corruption, transparency and accountability (ACTA) mechanisms to reduce these risks. A search was conducted including terms related to corruption, COVID-19, and health systems from January 2020 until January 2022. In addition, relevant grey literature websites were hand searched for items. A single reviewer screened the search results removing those that did not meet the inclusion criteria. This reviewer then extracted data relevant to the research objectives from the included articles. 20 academic articles and 17 grey literature pieces were included in this review. Majority of the included articles described cases of substandard and falsified products. Several papers attributed shortages of these products as a major factor for the emergence of falsified versions. Majority of described corruption instances occurred in low- and middle-income countries. The main affected products identified were chloroquine tablets, personal protective equipment, COVID-19 vaccine, and diagnostic tests. Half of the articles were able to offer potential anti-corruption strategies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Shortages of health products during the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to be associated with increased corruption risks. We found that low- and middle-income countries are particularly vulnerable to corruption during global emergencies. Lastly, there is a need for additional research on effective anti-corruption mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":12747,"journal":{"name":"Globalization and Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"91"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10675881/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138433676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does structural form matter? A comparative analysis of pooled procurement mechanisms for health commodities.","authors":"Koray Parmaksiz, Hester van de Bovenkamp, Roland Bal","doi":"10.1186/s12992-023-00974-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12992-023-00974-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Pooled procurement can be seen as a collaboration initiative of buyers. Such mechanisms have received increased attention during the Covid-19 pandemic to improve access to affordable and quality-assured health commodities. The structural form of pooled procurement mechanisms ranges from a third-party organization that procures on behalf of its buyers to a buyer's owned mechanism in which buyers operate more collaboratively. However, little is known about how these types of pooled procurement mechanisms differ in terms of characteristics, implementation and developmental process. To fill this gap, we compared four pooled procurement mechanisms. Two buyer's owned mechanisms: the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Pacific Island Countries (PIC). And two third-party mechanisms: the Global Drug Facility (GDF) and the Asthma Drug Facility (ADF).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>For this qualitative study, we used a multiple case-study design. The cases were purposefully selected, based on a most-similar case study design. We used the Pooled Procurement Guidance to collect data on individual cases and compared our findings between the case studies. For our analysis, we drew upon peer-reviewed academic articles, grey literature documents and 9 semi-structured interviews with procurement experts.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Buyers within a buyer's owned mechanisms differ in procurement systems, financing structures, product needs and regulatory and legal frameworks. Therefore, buyers within such mechanisms require relative alignment on motivations, goals and operations of the mechanism. Our study showed that buyers' relative homogeneity of characteristics and their perceived urgency of the problems was particularly relevant for achieving that alignment. Third-party organization mechanisms require less alignment and consensus-building between buyers. To participate, buyers need to align with the operations of the third-party organization, instead of other buyers. Elements that were essential for the successful implementation and operation of such mechanisms included the procurement secretariat's ability to create local and global awareness around the problem, to induce political will to act upon the problem, to mobilize sufficient funding and to attract qualified staff.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>To successfully sustain pooled procurement mechanisms over time, key actors should drive the mechanism through continuous and reflexive work on stakeholder engagement, mobilization of funding and alignment of interests and needs.</p>","PeriodicalId":12747,"journal":{"name":"Globalization and Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"90"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10668364/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138298919","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining the militarised hierarchy of Sierra Leone's Ebola response and implications for decision making during public health emergencies.","authors":"Samuel T Boland, Dina Balabanova, Susannah Mayhew","doi":"10.1186/s12992-023-00995-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12992-023-00995-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In September, 2014, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) called for militarised assistance in response to the rapidly escalating West Africa Ebola Epidemic. Soon after, the United Kingdom deployed its military to Sierra Leone, which (among other contributions) helped to support the establishment of novel and military-led Ebola Virus Disease (Ebola) response centres throughout the country. To examine these civil-military structures and their effects, 110 semi-structured interviews with civilian and military Ebola Response Workers (ERWs) were conducted and analysed using neo-Durkheimian theory.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The hierarchical Ebola response centres were found to be spaces of 'conflict attenuation' for their use of 'rule-bound niches', 'neutral zones', 'co-dependence', and 'hybridity', thereby not only easing civil-military relationships (CMRel), but also increasing the efficiency of their application to Ebola response interventions. Furthermore, the hierarchical response centres were also found to be inclusive spaces that further increased efficiency through the decentralisation and localisation of these interventions and daily decision making, albeit for mostly privileged groups and in limited ways.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This demonstrates how hierarchy and localisation can (and perhaps should) go hand-in-hand during future public health emergency responses as a strategy for more robustly including typically marginalised local actors, while also improving necessary efficiency-in other words, an 'inclusive hierarchical coordination' that is both operationally viable and an ethical imperative.</p>","PeriodicalId":12747,"journal":{"name":"Globalization and Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"89"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10664671/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138295016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"\"They try to suppress us, but we should be louder\": a qualitative exploration of intimidation in tobacco control.","authors":"Britta K Matthes, Raouf Alebshehy, Anna B Gilmore","doi":"10.1186/s12992-023-00991-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12992-023-00991-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Tobacco control advocates and researchers face powerful opponents who go to great lengths to protect their interests. While threats and attacks are documented in the grey literature, research into intimidation remains scarce. Building on previous exploratory research, this study seeks to offer in-depth insights into experiences of intimidation in the global tobacco control community.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using qualitative description, we conducted a focus group and semi-structured interviews with tobacco control advocates and researchers to explore their experiences, including forms of, and responses to, intimidation, and ways forward. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-nine individuals from across the globe participated in the study. They reported several forms of intimidation including attacks in the media; online harassment; legal threats; non-legal threats, including death threats; Freedom of Information requests; perceived or actual surveillance; as well as burglary and theft. Responses included non-action (i.e. ignoring attacks); withdrawal (i.e. abandoning a project, area or field); defensive adaptation, for example through self-censorship; and offensive measures, including exposing attacks or filing complaints. Responses were shaped by several factors, including type and level of support from within internal and external networks; as well as an individual's mindset, skills and experiences; and state-civil society relations. Participants suggested several measures that could help address intimidation: 1) report and monitor intimidation; 2) (better) prepare individuals through awareness raising and training (e.g. IT security, legal); 3) support those in need through legal advice, a peer-support network and involvement in response; and 4) look beyond tobacco control to learn and build connections.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Intimidation is a significant challenge to tobacco control that needs urgent attention. This study suggests measures to address intimidation that require commitment from, and collaboration amongst, multiple actors including governments, international organisations, funders, researchers and civil society. Moreover, collective action beyond tobacco control is needed to not only manage but move beyond intimidation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12747,"journal":{"name":"Globalization and Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"88"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10655405/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136397140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Learning from COVID-19: government leaders' perspectives to improve emergency risk communication.","authors":"Elena Savoia, Rachael Piltch-Loeb, Eva H Stanton, Howard K Koh","doi":"10.1186/s12992-023-00993-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12992-023-00993-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted the challenges of effective emergency risk communication (ERC) to protect public health, including the difficulty in tackling the spread of inaccurate information. This study aimed to understand those challenges and potential solutions by interviewing leading government spokespersons and their advisors from around the world with experience during large scale emergencies. Interviews were conducted with 27 individuals representing governments from 19 countries across five continents. Thematic analysis, using both a deductive and inductive approach, organized and identified salient themes and patterns that emerged from the interview data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The thematic analysis of the interviews' data led to the identification of 9 principles of communication: 1) Timeliness, 2) Transparency, 3) Coordination, 4) Accuracy and Consistency, 5) Accountability and Integrity, 6) Independence from politics, 7) Responsiveness, 8) Equity, 9) Trust and Empathy. We also developed 36 recommendations actionable by government agencies to enhance the practice of the 9 principles. Examples include the need for: proactive communication strategies, permanent communication task forces integrated into preparedness and response efforts, robust processes to enhance open discussion of controversial topics within government agencies, clarification of how various branches of government coordinate to oversee specific aspects of the overall communication, and development of relationships across public and private entities ahead of a crisis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings suggest key practical recommendations for leaders of government agencies to enhance ERC capabilities going forward. Before a crisis, they must constantly review internal processes and integrate ERC functions into overall communication planning efforts. During a crisis, they must coordinate roles and responsibilities across branches of governments, strive to communicate to a range of populations to uphold equity, maintain transparency by avoiding information voids on controversial issues and build trust by building relationships with a variety of community leaders. After a crisis, government agencies should continue the practice of social listening to hear more about the public's informational needs, strengthen civic participation processes, and understand how an always evolving information environment can best be leveraged during future crises.</p>","PeriodicalId":12747,"journal":{"name":"Globalization and Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"86"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10652548/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134648790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive evaluation of community human settlement resilience and spatial characteristics based on the supply-demand mismatch between health activities and environment: a case study of downtown Shanghai, China.","authors":"Qikang Zhong, Yue Chen, Jiale Yan","doi":"10.1186/s12992-023-00976-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12992-023-00976-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Under globalization, human settlement has become a major risk factor affecting life. The relationship between humans and the environment is crucial for improving community resilience and coping with globalization. This study focuses on the key contradictions of community development under globalization, exploring community resilience by analyzing the mismatch between residents' health activities and the environment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using data from Shanghai downtown, including land use, Sports app, geospatial and urban statistics, this paper constructs a comprehensive community resilience index (CRI) model based on the DPSIR model. This model enables quantitative analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution of Community Human Settlement Resilience (CR). Additionally, the paper uses geodetector and Origin software to analyze the coupling relationship between drivers and human settlement resilience.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>i) The scores of CR showed a \"slide-shaped\" fluctuation difference situation; ii) The spatial pattern of CR showed a \"pole-core agglomeration and radiation\" type and a \"ring-like agglomeration and radiation\" type. iii) Distance to bus stops, average annual temperature, CO₂ emissions, building density and number of jogging trajectories are the dominant factors affecting the resilience level of community human settlement.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This paper contributes to the compilation of human settlement evaluation systems globally, offering insights into healthy community and city assessments worldwide. The findings can guide the creation of similar evaluation systems and provide valuable references for building healthy communities worldwide.</p>","PeriodicalId":12747,"journal":{"name":"Globalization and Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"87"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10655422/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136397141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What is the purpose of ultra-processed food? An exploratory analysis of the financialisation of ultra-processed food corporations and implications for public health.","authors":"Benjamin Wood, Ella Robinson, Phillip Baker, Guillermo Paraje, Mélissa Mialon, Christoffer van Tulleken, Gary Sacks","doi":"10.1186/s12992-023-00990-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12992-023-00990-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In recent decades there has been a global rise in consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to the detriment of population health and the environment. Large corporations that have focused heavily on low-cost manufacturing and extensive marketing of UPFs to maximise profits have driven this dietary transition. The same corporations claim to serve the interests of multiple 'stakeholders', and that they are contributing to sustainable development. This paper aimed to test these claims by examining the degree to which UPF corporations have become 'financialised', focusing on the extent to which they have prioritised the financial interests of their shareholders relative to other actors, as well as the role that various types of investors have played in influencing their governance. Findings were used to inform discussion on policy responses to improve the healthiness of population diets.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We adopted an exploratory research design using multiple methods. We conducted quantitative analysis of the financial data of U.S. listed food and agricultural corporations between 1962 and 2021, share ownership data of a selection of UPF corporations, and proxy voting data of a selection of investors between 2012 and 2022. We also conducted targeted narrative reviews using structured and branching searches of academic and grey literature.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Since the 1980s, corporations that depend heavily on manufacturing and marketing UPFs to generate profits have been increasingly transferring money to their shareholders relative to their total revenue, and at a level considerably higher than other food and agricultural sectors. In recent years, large hedge fund managers have had a substantial influence on the governance of major UPF corporations in their pursuit of maximising short-term returns. In comparison, shareholders seeking to take steps to improve population diets have had limited influence, in part because large asset managers mostly oppose public health-related shareholder proposals.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The operationalisation of 'shareholder primacy' by major UPF corporations has driven inequity and undermines their claims that they are creating 'value' for diverse actors. Measures that protect population diets and food systems from the extractive forces of financialisation are likely needed as part of efforts to improve the healthiness of population diets.</p>","PeriodicalId":12747,"journal":{"name":"Globalization and Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"85"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2023-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10644600/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"92153480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}