@article{fdi:010082791,
  title = {{P}roviding {M}easurement, {E}valuation, {A}ccountability, and {L}eadership {S}upport ({MEALS}) for non-communicable diseases prevention in {G}hana : project implementation protocol},
  author = {{L}aar, {A}. and {K}elly, {B}. and {H}oldsworth, {M}ichelle and {Q}uarpong, {W}. and {A}ryeetey, {R}. and {A}mevinya, {G}. {S}. and {T}andoh, {A}. and {A}gyemang, {C}. and {Z}otor, {F}. and {L}aar, {M}. {E}. and {M}ensah, {K}. and {L}aryea, {D}. and {A}siki, {G}. and {P}radeilles, {R}. and {S}ellen, {D}. and {L}'{A}bbe, {M}. {R}. and {V}andevijvere, {S}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground: {T}his study describes the rationale, adaptation, and final protocol of a project developed to address the increase in obesity and nutrition-related non-communicable diseases ({NR}-{NCD}s) in {G}hana. {C}ode-named the {M}easurement, {E}valuation, {A}ccountability, and {L}eadership {S}upport for {NCD}s ({MEALS}4{NCD}s) project, it aims to measure and support public sector actions that create healthy food marketing, retail, and provisioning environments for {G}hanaian children using adapted methods from the {I}nternational {N}etwork for {F}ood and {O}besity/{NCD}s {R}esearch {M}onitoring and {A}ction {S}upport ({INFORMAS}). {M}ethods: {T}he protocol for this observational study draws substantially from the {INFORMAS}' {F}ood {P}romotion and {F}ood {P}rovision {M}odules. {H}owever, to appraise the readiness of local communities to implement interventions with strong potential to improve food environments of {G}hanaian children, the {MEALS}4{NCD}s protocol has innovatively integrated a local community participatory approach based on the community readiness model ({CRM}) into the {INFORMAS} approaches. {T}he setting is {G}hana, and the participants include health and nutrition policy-makers, nutrition and food service providers, consumers, school authorities, and pupils of {G}hanaian basic schools. {R}esults: {T}he study establishes a standardized approach to providing implementation science evidence for the prevention of non-communicable diseases ({NCD}s) in {G}hana. {I}t demonstrates feasibility and the innovative application of the {INFORMAS} expanded food promotion and food provision modules, together with the integration of the {CRM} in a lower-middle income setting. {C}onclusion: {T}he research will facilitate the understanding of the processes through which the {INFORMAS} approach is contextualized to a lower-middle income {A}frican context. {T}he protocol could be adapted for similar country settings to monitor relevant aspects of food environments of children.</p>},
  keywords = {food policy ; non-communicable diseases ; food marketing ; food provision ; food environments ; community readiness ; {G}hana ; protocol ; {GHANA}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{F}rontiers in {N}utrition},
  volume = {8},
  numero = {},
  pages = {644320 [15 ]},
  ISSN = {2296-861{X}},
  year = {2021},
  DOI = {10.3389/fnut.2021.644320},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010082791},
}