Table 2.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria for the identification of journal articles reporting on policy research

Inclusion criteria

The article:

∙Is in a peer-reviewed journal indexed in PubMed, Scopus, Informit, CINAHL or PsycINFO.

∙Is in English.

∙Was published between January 1986 and December 2014.

∙Features in its abstract, title or subject headings the search terms: ‘(politic* OR advoc* OR coalition OR influenc*) AND (nutri* OR food OR obesity) AND (polic*) AND (government)’. When more than 500 papers were retrieved from a search, the terms AND NOT (school* OR agriculture*) were included.

∙Reports on issues at the supra-national, national, state or local government level related to:

○The content or nature of a policy, i.e. (foreseen) components, effectiveness, impact, evolution.

○The policy change process, i.e. advocacy intervention or strategy, capacity building for advocacy, evidence and knowledge shaping in policy making, theoretical and methodological issues in policy analysis. Addresses a policy or policy process that goes beyond the walls of a specific workplace, school or other organisational setting.

Exclusion criteria

The article refers to:

∙Policies related to a specific setting, e.g. workplace, school or other organisational setting.

∙Policies related to clinical nutrition issues, e.g. hospital-based or one-to-one dietetic services.

∙Policies related to general well-being, physical activity, tobacco or agriculture.

∙An opinion piece, commentary, letter or book review.