A review of Fife's food and health policy

Fife Health Board published its food and health policy in May 1986, introduced a board-wide food and health strategy in 1987, and carried out a comprehensive review of its implementation in 1990. Other health boards currently considering their strategies may benefit by learning from Fife's experience. A number of base-line studies were carried out between 1987 and 1989 before the policy was implemented. Further surveys have monitored progress. Positive features of the programme included the introduction of a comprehensive food and health policy throughout the health board, the establishment of base-line measurements for future outcome evaluation, and the enthusiastic support of a wide range of people. Negative features included some opposition from a number of health service staff to its introduction, lukewarm support from public leaders for its proposed public launch, and a patchy response from the education sector. Although it is still too early to be confident of the success of policy in terms of outcome measures, there is some evidence that the first phase of its introduction may have had some success within the health service. Alternative strategies are now required to tackle some of the areas where the introduction was less successful.