Improving local food environments and dietary habits in adolescents by engaging with stakeholders in the Netherlands

The purpose of this article is to describe a series of recent studies from the authors and many of their colleagues aimed at improving the food environments of adolescents in the Netherlands and thereby improving their food choices. These studies are performed in the wider context of national and local strategies for the prevention of overweight and obesity in the Netherlands. Interventions were developed with local stakeholders and carried out in schools, supermarkets and low income neighbourhoods. We conclude that current national policies in the Netherlands are largely ineffective in reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Local integrated programs in the Netherlands, however, seem to result in a reduction of overweight, especially in low-income neighborhoods. It is impossible to say which elements of such an integrated approach are effective elements on their own. We found very little evidence for effectiveness of separate interventions aimed at small changes in the food environment. This suggests that such interventions are only effective in combination with each other and in a wider systems approach. Future studies are needed to further develop the practical methodology of implementation and evaluation of systems science in combination with participatory action research.