Implementation of two policy initiatives in conjunction with creation of a policy guiding framework: Community based prevention marketing for policy development

Introduction: The Florida Prevention Research Center (FPRC) and the Lexington (Kentucky) Tweens' Nutrition and Fitness Coalition (TN&FC) co-created Community Based Prevention Marketing (CBPM) for Policy Development, an 8-step framework for community empowerment that uses social marketing principles to enhance capacity for health policy enactment. Methods: The TN&FC employed this framework to guide selection and tailoring of, and advocacy for, two evidence-based policies that increase access to healthful foods in disparately served areas. Results: The Good Neighbor Corner Store initiative and the Better Bites Snack Strong “brands” were the primary outcomes of this process. The Good Neighbor initiative increases availability of fresh and affordable foods in safe and hospitable environments by engaging convenience storeowners and customers for mutually beneficial gain. The Better Bites Snack Strong initiative expands availability of healthful menu items at community recreational and professional sports facilities, as well as at schools that formerly sold only low nutrition density items, approaching 20% of sales in one year. The TN&FC is currently working with policymakers to enact a staple food ordinance incentivizing widespread adoption of these initiatives. Discussion: The framework's systematic method for selecting and tailoring evidence-based health policies, building advocacy skills, and monitoring implementation enabled the TN&FC to modify policy elements and frame issues to build common ground, optimize support, and influence policymakers, furthering the goal of ensuring that citizens have more equitable access to healthful foods. Moreover, the partners will alpha- and beta-test a Website to enable coalitions nationwide to access the framework and benefit from lessons learned.