Objective: To provide a basis for making recommendations on the potential to improve use of folic acid supplements in the UK, particularly among low-income and young women. Design: Systematic reviews of relevant research from 1989 to May 2006 in Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Results: Twenty-six systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses were identified from the wider public health literature, and eighteen studies on the effectiveness of preconception interventions were included. Ninety studies were identified which were directly relevant to folic acid supplement intake. There were factors that are particularly associated with lower rates of use of folic acid supplements. One of the most important of these is the link with unintended pregnancy, followed by age, socio-economic and ethnic group. Integrated campaigns can increase the use of folic acid supplements to some extent. Research trials indicated that: (i) printed resources and the mass media used in isolation are not effective in the longer term; and (ii) health-care-based initiatives can be effective and are more likely to be successful if they include making supplements easily available. Conclusions: Campaigns and interventions have the potential to exacerbate socioeconomic inequalities in folic acid use. One way of addressing this is to include elements that specifically target vulnerable women. To achieve and maintain an effect, they need to be based on good health promotion practice and to be sustained over a long period. However, even high-quality campaigns that increase use result in under half of women in the target group taking supplements. Keywords Folate Folic acid Supplements Neural tube defects Public health policies/interventionsThe overall aim of the work described in the present paper was to use a systematic approach to carry out literature reviews of research that has been done on influencing low-income groups, particularly girls/young women, to change their behaviour in relation to health. The intention was to provide a basis for making evidencebased recommendations on the potential to improve use of folic acid supplements in the UK.This was achieved by carrying out three complementary reviews. The first two of these provided a basis for the main (third) review. They were intended to assess whether there are findings from the wider public health literature (rather than work focusing specifically on folic acid) that might inform the development of effective interventions to increase use of folic acid supplements. Review 1 identified published systematic reviews or meta-analyses of initiatives that required 'positive precautionary action' by women. Review 2 identified research relevant to the effectiveness of different approaches to preconception interventions on behaviour. Review 3 formed the main part of the work, and focused specifically on quantitative or qualitative research aimed at encouraging women, particularly girls/young women and those from low-income groups, to take folic acid in the periconceptional p...

There has been relatively little research on public health nutrition interventions for families and children, compared with, for example, work in schools. In Spring 2007, the UK Food Standards Agency held a multidisciplinary workshop on food choice in families and children, bringing together researchers from psychology, social sciences, public health and nutrition. The objectives of the workshop were to form an up-to-date view of the influences on children's and young people's food choice within the family, and identify future research needs. The participants identified six key areas for future research: multidisciplinary collaboration; using mixed research methods; developing new research methods; identifying familyrelated diversity and tailoring interventions towards this; understanding the effects of different parenting styles and the relevance of these to implementing interventions; and developing a more sophisticated understanding of barriers and motivators to food-related change in families.

ObjectiveTo describe the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) Food Acceptability & Choice and Food Choice Inequalities research programmes and the context for the FSA seminar on peer-led approaches to dietary change held in July 2006.ResultsThe aims of the FSA's food choice research programmes are to identify the social, psychological and physical barriers to achieving a healthier diet and how they might be addressed. Results of the research provide the scientific basis for some FSA advice on healthy eating. An important element of both programmes is the output of practical tools and resources that can be used by health professionals, nutritionists, teachers and others to encourage people to eat a healthy diet. The FSA held a seminar in July 2006 in order to identify the specific and general learning points from three peer-led intervention studies and to discuss how these could best be communicated to various audiences, including practitioners, researchers and policy-makers.ConclusionsThe seminar provided a useful forum for discussion. The FSA will ensure that lessons learned from these peer-led intervention studies are taken account of in the planning, appraisal and management of future research projects, in the communication of project results and in the dissemination of resources.