The influence of food environments on dietary behaviour and nutrition in Southeast Asia: A systematic scoping review.

Background: Food environments are crucial spaces within the food system for understanding and addressing many of the shared drivers of malnutrition. In recent years, food environment research has grown rapidly, however, definitions, measures, and methods remain highly inconsistent, leading to a body of literature that is notably heterogeneous and poorly understood, particularly within regions of the Asia-Pacific. Aim: This scoping review aims to synthesize the nature, extent, and range of published literature surrounding the role of the food environment on influencing dietary behaviour and nutrition in Southeast Asia. Methods: A systematic search of 5 databases was conducted following PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. Eligible studies included peer-reviewed research with adult participants living in Southeast Asia that examined the food environment as a determinant of dietary behaviour or nutrition. Results: A total of 45 articles were included. Overall, studies indicated that dietary behaviours in Southeast Asia were primarily driven by social, cultural, and economic factors rather than physical (e.g. geographical) features of food environments. Food price and affordability were most consistently identified as key barriers to achieving healthy diets. Conclusion: This work contributes to the establishment of more robust conceptualizations of food environments within diverse settings which may aid future policymakers and researchers identify and address the barriers or obstacles impacting nutrition and food security in their communities. Further research is needed to strengthen this knowledge, particularly research that explicitly explores the macro-level mechanisms and pathways that influence diet and nutrition outcomes.

Promoting Healthy Food Access and Nutrition in Primary Care: A Systematic Scoping Review of Food Prescription Programs.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a scoping review to synthesize evidence on food prescription programs. DATA SOURCE: A systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was conducted using key words related to setting, interventions, and outcomes. STUDY INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Publications were eligible if they reported food prescription administered by a health care practitioner (HCP) with the explicit aim of improving healthy food access and consumption, food security (FS), or health. DATA EXTRACTION: A data charting form was used to extract relevant details on intervention characteristics, study methodology, and key findings. DATA SYNTHESIS: Study and intervention characteristics were summarized. We undertook a thematic analysis to identify and report on themes. A critical appraisal of study quality was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). RESULTS: A total of 6145 abstracts were screened and 23 manuscripts were included in the review. Food prescriptions may improve fruit and vegetable consumption and reduce food insecurity (FI). Evidence for impacts on diet-related health outcomes is limited and mixed. The overall quality of included studies was weak. Addressing barriers such as stigma, transportation, and poor nutrition literacy may increase utilization of food prescriptions. CONCLUSION: Food prescriptions are a promising health care intervention. There is a need for rigorous studies that incorporate larger sample sizes, control groups, and validated assessments of dietary intake, food security, and health.