Using systems science to understand the determinants of inequities in healthy eating
Introduction: Systems thinking has emerged in recent years as a promising approach to understanding and acting on the prevention and amelioration of non-communicable disease. However, the evidence on inequities in non-communicable diseases and their risks factors, particularly diet, has not been exa...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Public Library of Science
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69828 |
| _version_ | 1848762144958447616 |
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| author | Friel, S. Pescud, M. Malbon, E. Lee, Andy Carter, R. Greenfield, J. Cobcroft, M. Potter, J. Rychetnik, L. Meertens, B. |
| author_facet | Friel, S. Pescud, M. Malbon, E. Lee, Andy Carter, R. Greenfield, J. Cobcroft, M. Potter, J. Rychetnik, L. Meertens, B. |
| author_sort | Friel, S. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Introduction: Systems thinking has emerged in recent years as a promising approach to understanding and acting on the prevention and amelioration of non-communicable disease. However, the evidence on inequities in non-communicable diseases and their risks factors, particularly diet, has not been examined from a systems perspective. We report on an approach to developing a system oriented policy actor perspective on the multiple causes of inequities in healthy eating. Methods: Collaborative conceptual modelling workshops were held in 2015 with an expert group of representatives from government, non-government health organisations and academia in Australia. The expert group built a systems model using a system dynamics theoretical perspective. The model developed from individual mind maps to pair blended maps, before being finalised as a causal loop diagram. Results: The work of the expert stakeholders generated a comprehensive causal loop diagram of the determinants of inequity in healthy eating (the HE2Diagram). This complex dynamic system has seven sub-systems: (1) food supply and environment; (2) transport; (3) housing and the built environment; (4) employment; (5) social protection; (6) health literacy; and (7) food preferences. Discussion: The HE2causal loop diagram illustrates the complexity of determinants of inequities in healthy eating. This approach, both the process of construction and the final visualisation, can provide the basis for planning the prevention and amelioration of inequities in healthy eating that engages with multiple levels of causes and existing policies and programs. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:42:54Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-69828 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:42:54Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-698282019-01-17T06:23:19Z Using systems science to understand the determinants of inequities in healthy eating Friel, S. Pescud, M. Malbon, E. Lee, Andy Carter, R. Greenfield, J. Cobcroft, M. Potter, J. Rychetnik, L. Meertens, B. Introduction: Systems thinking has emerged in recent years as a promising approach to understanding and acting on the prevention and amelioration of non-communicable disease. However, the evidence on inequities in non-communicable diseases and their risks factors, particularly diet, has not been examined from a systems perspective. We report on an approach to developing a system oriented policy actor perspective on the multiple causes of inequities in healthy eating. Methods: Collaborative conceptual modelling workshops were held in 2015 with an expert group of representatives from government, non-government health organisations and academia in Australia. The expert group built a systems model using a system dynamics theoretical perspective. The model developed from individual mind maps to pair blended maps, before being finalised as a causal loop diagram. Results: The work of the expert stakeholders generated a comprehensive causal loop diagram of the determinants of inequity in healthy eating (the HE2Diagram). This complex dynamic system has seven sub-systems: (1) food supply and environment; (2) transport; (3) housing and the built environment; (4) employment; (5) social protection; (6) health literacy; and (7) food preferences. Discussion: The HE2causal loop diagram illustrates the complexity of determinants of inequities in healthy eating. This approach, both the process of construction and the final visualisation, can provide the basis for planning the prevention and amelioration of inequities in healthy eating that engages with multiple levels of causes and existing policies and programs. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69828 10.1371/journal.pone.0188872 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Public Library of Science fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Friel, S. Pescud, M. Malbon, E. Lee, Andy Carter, R. Greenfield, J. Cobcroft, M. Potter, J. Rychetnik, L. Meertens, B. Using systems science to understand the determinants of inequities in healthy eating |
| title | Using systems science to understand the determinants of inequities in healthy eating |
| title_full | Using systems science to understand the determinants of inequities in healthy eating |
| title_fullStr | Using systems science to understand the determinants of inequities in healthy eating |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using systems science to understand the determinants of inequities in healthy eating |
| title_short | Using systems science to understand the determinants of inequities in healthy eating |
| title_sort | using systems science to understand the determinants of inequities in healthy eating |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69828 |