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Healthy Kai (Food) Checker Web-Based Tool to Support Healthy Food Policy Implementation: Development and Usability Study

  • 0Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Jmir Formative Research +

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January 13, 2025

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January 13, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

A new web-based tool, the Healthy Kai (Food) Checker, was developed to help implement New Zealand's National Healthy Food and Drink Policy. User testing confirmed its usability and identified improvements for wider adoption.

Area Of Science

  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Digital Health Tools
  • Health Policy Implementation

Background

  • Voluntary National Healthy Food and Drink Policy introduced in New Zealand (2016) aims to improve hospital food environments.
  • Lack of supporting resources hindered the implementation of this public health policy.
  • Need for practical tools to assist food providers in adhering to healthy food guidelines.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To design, develop, and test a novel web-based tool for supporting food providers in implementing the National Healthy Food and Drink Policy.
  • To address the gap in resources for effective policy uptake in New Zealand healthcare settings.

Main Methods

  • Utilized the Double Diamond design model encompassing Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver phases.
  • Integrated findings from systematic reviews, scoping reviews, stakeholder interviews, and hospital audits.
  • Employed Figma for prototyping and iterative testing with public health nutrition professionals and end-users.

Main Results

  • Developed the Healthy Kai (Food) Checker, a digital tool featuring a searchable database of packaged food and drink products classified by nutritional criteria.
  • Prioritized 11 key functions, including advanced search, product list compilation, and missing product reporting.
  • End-user feedback highlighted ease of use and logical navigation, with suggestions for enhanced visual representation and usability.

Conclusions

  • Comprehensive research and user-centered design successfully informed the development of a digital tool to support healthy food policy implementation.
  • End-user testing provided valuable insights for improving the tool's acceptability and usability.
  • Future enhancements include expanding functionality and integrating classifications for other health policies, such as school lunches.

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