Better evaluation can improve the effectiveness of agreements between public health organizations and food and beverage companies

Abstract

Most Americans consume diets at odds with nutrition recommendations, contributing to our ongoing epidemics of noncommunicable diseases. One strategy for accelerating progress toward healthier diets involves formal agreements between companies and nongovernmental organizations to develop new products, reformulate existing products, and implement new marketing strategies. Although the general intention for industry initiatives is to generate public health benefits, the established goals may not necessarily generate substantial benefits. Based on a literature review and technical assistance we provided to organizations engaged in industry agreements, we believe that increasing scientific scope and rigor in evaluations of voluntary food and beverage industry agreements could improve potential public health benefits and understanding of their actual effects. We provide recommendations for external, unconflicted funding that permits comprehensive, independent, and rigorous evaluation of voluntary industry agreements.