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How to Increase Community Participation Capacity in Food Environment Policymaking: Results of a Scoping Review Publisher



Zerafatishoae N1, 2 ; Jamshidi E3 ; Salehi L4, 5 ; Taee FA1
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Community Nutrition Department, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Community Based Participatory Research Center, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviours, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
  5. 5. Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Public Health, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

Source: Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran Published:2020


Abstract

Background: Food environment plays a major role in health outcomes. A growing interest in community-based participatory research (CBPR) has led to its application in the improvement of the food environment. This scoping review aims to compile and map the literature and identify key strategies used for increasing community participation capacity in the food environment policymaking process. Methods: The scoping review of peer-reviewed articles on community participation and food environment policymaking followed the framework suggested by Arksey and O'Malley (2005). Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched. A charting table was developed to extract the key information of each identified study. A directed content analysis approach was used to assign retrieved codes into categories proposed by Foster-Fishman. Results: A total of 28 studies were included in this review. Most studies used the CBPR approach to involve the community at least in the problem identification step of the policymaking process (n=12) and 7 studies reported their involvement in all the steps of policymaking. In 15 out of 28 studies, the level of community participation was at involvement and in 8 studies it was at empowerment. Strategies for increasing relational capacity, member capacity, programmatic capacity, and organizational capacity of community participation were reviewed. Conclusion: To improve food environment using the community-participation approach, identifying different strategies and adjusting them based on the social and political context of each society is of high importance. © Iran University of Medical Sciences.