Policy databases

A repository of global data on nutrition and physical activity policy actions.

Developed as part of the European Union CO-CREATE project – Confronting obesity: co-creating policy with youth – the databases contain information about nutrition and physical activity policy that governments around the world have implemented to encourage people to eat healthily and move more.

Visit the databases

The NOURISHING database of diet-related policies has been redesigned as part of the CO-CREATE project. The MOVING database has been developed to complement the NOURISHING database, and contains information about policies designed to promote physical activity.

> What is the NOURISHING database? Download our 1-page explainer (PDF 89KB)

> What is the MOVING database? Download our 1-page explainer (PDF 89kb)

Both databases also include external evaluations of policies, where available.

The NOURISHING and MOVING databases collect policy actions from around the world which are implemented on a national level, and which are currently in effect.

The databases are structured around the NOURISHING and MOVING frameworks.

The databases were launched on 17 June 2020 on a webinar which explained the background of the CO-CREATE project, gave an overview on the situation of obesity in children and young people in Europe, explained how the databases worked. Nutrition and policy experts also explained how the databases can support robust policy development.

In December 2020, we made some small refinements to the MOVING framework to improve the categorisation of policies in the different policy areas. The content of the updated framework remains the same – we’ve just tweaked how the policies are organised in the different letters of the framework. This was prompted by our learnings from conducting the policy scan and how users access information on the database.

Policymakers can use our databases to:

  • Identify where action is needed to promote healthy diets and increase physical activity.
  • Select and tailor options suitable for specific populations and assess if the approach is sufficiently comprehensive.
  • See what other countries are doing.

Civil Society Organisations can use our databases to:

  • Monitor what governments are doing around the world.
  • Benchmark progress.
  • Hold governments to account.

Researchers can use our databases to:

  • Identify the evidence available for different policies.
  • Identify research gaps.
  • Monitor and evaluate policies.

Contact policy@wcrf.org with further examples of implemented policies, evaluations of implemented policies or with any other questions or comments.

Questions? Browse our FAQs on NOURISHING and MOVING.

A quick guide: what’s new?

Share results on social media

Users can share results via social media such as Twitter and Facebook, and also by email.

Download search results and data

You can now download data in a csv file to interrogate the findings further.

Glossary of definitions

The new list of definitions of commonly used terms makes it easier for you to understand the terminology used in the databases.

Policy names

We are adding the specific name of policies to enable you to source original documentation and do further research. Ultimately,  every data entry will include the policy name.

New icons for the databases

We have developed visual identities for NOURISHING and MOVING to help you navigate between the databases: a bowl of food for NOURISHING and an individual being active for MOVING.

Continuously updated

Instead of three-yearly updates, we are now updating the database on an ongoing basis, meaning we will be quicker to share and highlight policy actions in your country. We will continue to highlight the latest additions in our policy e-newsletter (sign up here) and on Twitter (follow World Cancer Research Fund here).