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Purpose of Review: Food systems at all levels are experiencing various states of dysfunction and crisis, and in turn their governance contributes to other intensifying crises, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and the rapid expansion of dietary-related non-communicable diseases. In many jurisdictions governments at local, state and national levels are taking action to tackle some of the key challenges confronting food systems through a range of regulatory, legislative and fiscal measures. This article comprises a narrative review summarising recent relevant literature with a focus on the intersection between corporate power and public health. The review sought to identify some of the principal barriers for the design and support of healthy food systems and environments, as well as key reforms that can be adopted to address these barriers, with a focus on the role of local governments., Recent Findings: The review found that, where permitted to do so by authorising legislative and regulatory frameworks, and where political and executive leadership prioritises healthy and sustainable food systems, local governments have demonstrated the capacity to exercise legislative and regulatory powers, such as planning powers to constrain the expansion of the fast food industry. In doing so, they have been able to advance broader goals of public health and wellbeing, as well as support the strengthening and expansion of healthy and sustainable food systems. Whilst local governments in various jurisdictions have demonstrated the capacity to take effective action to advance public health and environmental goals, such interventions take place in the context of a food system dominated by the corporate determinants of health. Accordingly, their wider health-promoting impact will remain limited in the absence of substantive reform at all levels of government., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose of Review: The 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) have been criticised for making only brief reference to sustainability considerations. With the ADG currently under review, the purpose of this rapid review was to determine the environmental impacts associated with food consumption in Australia and New Zealand., Recent Findings: Of the 20 articles included, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) were the most common environmental indicator (n = 12), followed by water use and water footprint (n = 7), and carbon footprint (n = 3). Whilst there are commonalities between different environmental indicators such as the large impact of discretionary food consumption on GHGe, cropland scarcity footprint, and water scarcity footprint, there is wide variation in these indicators for other food groups. Furthermore, modelling of current food consumption data to the recommended diet does not necessarily result in improvement of all indicators. The next iteration of the ADG should promote consumption of foods and dietary patterns that are associated with positive health and environmental outcomes., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose of Review: Recurrent post-prandial metabolic imbalances are important contributing factors to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study evaluated whether anthocyanin consumption attenuates the deleterious postprandial response of high-fat meals on CVD risk factors including blood pressure, vascular endothelial function, lipid profile and biomarkers related to oxidative stress, antioxidant status and immune response., Recent Findings: Five electronic databases were searched up to the period of 1 February 2020, yielding 13 eligible studies, including randomised or cross-over clinical trials (18-59 years of age), using PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO registration: CRD42019126265). Potential bias was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomised trials. Beneficial effects of anthocyanins were reported in biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status in 6 out of 9 studies, and in 3 out of 6 studies for inflammatory response. Two positive results were found concerning attenuation of post-prandial endothelial dysfunction, increased triacylglycerol and total cholesterol exerted by the high fat meal. Blood pressure and lipoproteins were the parameters with least beneficial results. Our systematic literature review revealed beneficial effects of dietary anthocyanin interventions on CVD risk factors following a HFM challenge; however, heterogeneity in results exists. The most promising results were for the attenuation of deleterious postprandial effects on oxidative stress and antioxidant status, triacylglycerol and total cholesterol concentrations, vascular endothelial function and inflammatory biomarkers. Post-prandial changes in blood pressure and lipoproteins were least affected by anthocyanins. Further studies are required in order to better elucidate the post-prandial effects of anthocyanins and CVD risk factors.