Food Environment in Burkina Faso: Review of Public Policies and Government Actions Using the Food-EPI Tool.

This article analyzes public policies and government actions related to creating healthy food environments in Burkina Faso using the Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) tool, which includes 13 domains and 56 indicators adapted to the country’s context. The study found that while 89.3% of the indicators are addressed by existing policy documents or actions, many policies are outdated, lack specific regulatory frameworks, or only partially meet the Food-EPI criteria, particularly in areas such as regulation of nutrition and health claims, menu labeling, support for private sector training on healthy diets, implementation of food guidelines, and protection against commercial influence in policymaking. The findings highlight gaps including slow administrative processes, absence of updated or comprehensive policies, and limited integration of nutrition considerations in trade and investment agreements. This review provides a foundational assessment to inform government efforts to strengthen and update nutrition-related policies to better promote healthy food environments and address the triple burden of malnutrition in Burkina Faso.