Learning from success through co-designed policy analysis to promote healthy and sustainable diets

Abstract

Unhealthy food systems—spanning production, trade, marketing and retail—have been a major driver of poor diets, contributing to non-communicable diseases and environmental harm. Although effective nutrition policies are well established, implementation has remained limited due to commercial interests, economic dependencies and fragmented governance across sectors. Addressing this gap requires research that moves beyond identifying “what works” to understanding how policies can be successfully designed and implemented. This workshop presents findings from six multi-country case studies of policy success across public food procurement, digital marketing restrictions, fiscal policy and health-sensitive trade. The research was led by Deakin University and the University of Sydney in partnership with the WHO Regional Office for Europe and Australian government agencies. Using political science methodologies, including theories of policy learning, the analyses identified the institutional, political and practical conditions that enable policy success, including embedding social objectives within nutrition policy systems. This research was impactful because it was co-designed with policymakers and embedded within policy processes, generating actionable insights. It showed how governments can overcome barriers through institutional structures enabling coordination, strategic framing, effective stakeholder engagement, and mobilisation of policy champions. Regional frameworks and governance arrangements were critical in aligning actors and sustaining implementation. Successful policies also addressed feasibility across all stages of delivery. The workshop will translate these findings into practical guidance, teaching participants how to design co-designed policy research, engage policymakers, and apply strategies to strengthen policy development, implementation and scale-up for healthier and more sustainable food systems.