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Anthropogenic climate change is now considered to be one of the main factors causing an increase in both the frequency and severity of wildfires. These fires are prone to release substantial quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere and to endanger natural ecosystems and biodiversity. Depending on the ecosystem and climate regime, fires have distinct triggering factors and impacts. To better analyse this phenomenon, we investigated post-fire vegetation anomalies over different biomes, from 2012 to 2020. The study was performed using several remotely sensed quantities ranging from visible–infrared vegetation indices (the enhanced vegetation index (EVI)) to vegetation opacities obtained at several passive-microwave wavelengths (X-band, C-band, and L-band vegetation optical depth (X-VOD, C-VOD, and L-VOD)), ranging from 2 to 20 cm. It was found that C- and X-VOD are mostly sensitive to fire impact on low-vegetation areas (grass and shrublands) or on tree leaves, while L-VOD depicts the fire impact on tree trunks and branches better. As a consequence, L-VOD is probably a better way of assessing fire impact on biomass. The study shows that L-VOD can be used to monitor fire-affected areas as well as post-fire recovery, especially over densely vegetated areas.

Climate change increases the occurrence and severity of droughts due to increasing temperatures, altered circulation patterns, and reduced snow occurrence. While Europe has suffered from drought events in the last decade unlike ever seen since the beginning of weather recordings, harmonized long-term datasets across the continent are needed to monitor change and support predictions. Here we present soil moisture data from 66 cosmic-ray neutron sensors (CRNSs) in Europe (COSMOS-Europe for short) covering recent drought events. The CRNS sites are distributed across Europe and cover all major land use types and climate zones in Europe. The raw neutron count data from the CRNS stations were provided by 24 research institutions and processed using state-of-the-art methods. The harmonized processing included correction of the raw neutron counts and a harmonized methodology for the conversion into soil moisture based on available in situ information. In addition, the uncertainty estimate is provided with the dataset, information that is particularly useful for remote sensing and modeling applications. This paper presents the current spatiotemporal coverage of CRNS stations in Europe and describes the protocols for data processing from raw measurements to consistent soil moisture products. The data of the presented COSMOS-Europe network open up a manifold of potential applications for environmental research, such as remote sensing data validation, trend analysis, or model assimilation. The dataset could be of particular importance for the analysis of extreme climatic events at the continental scale. Due its timely relevance in the scope of climate change in the recent years, we demonstrate this potential application with a brief analysis on the spatiotemporal soil moisture variability. The dataset, entitled “Dataset of COSMOS-Europe: A European network of Cosmic-Ray Neutron Soil Moisture Sensors”, is shared via Forschungszentrum Jülich: https://doi.org/10.34731/x9s3-kr48 (Bogena and Ney, 2021).

Melt occurrence in Antarctica is derived from L-band observations from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite between the austral summer 2010–2011 and 2017–2018. The detection algorithm is adapted from a threshold method previously developed for 19 GHz passive microwave measurements from the special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I) and special sensor microwave imager sounder (SSMIS). The comparison of daily melt occurrence retrieved from 1.4 and 19 GHz observations shows an overall close agreement, but a lag of few days is usually observed by SMOS at the beginning of the melt season. To understand the difference, a theoretical analysis is performed using a microwave emission radiative transfer model. It shows that the sensitivity of 1.4 GHz signal to liquid water is significantly weaker than at 19 GHz if the water is only present in the uppermost tens of centimetres of the snowpack. Conversely, 1.4 GHz measurements are sensitive to water when spread over at least 1 m and when present in depths up to hundreds of metres. This is explained by the large penetration depth in dry snow and by the long wavelength (21 cm). We conclude that SMOS and higher-frequency radiometers provide interesting complementary information on melt occurrence and on the location of the water in the snowpack.

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite has been providing global data for more than 11 years. The algorithm to retrieve surface soil moisture (SM) and vegetation optical depth (VOD) from Brightness Temperatures (TB) has constantly evolved as our understanding of the instrument and of the responses to various ecosystems increased. The evolution of the radiative transfer modelling used in the inversion process is in part based upon ground measurements done on experimental sites. We present the particular case of an L-band radiometer placed on top of a 800- meter-high cliff. This design allows us to study large and various scenes when compared to classical experiments where a radiometer is placed 10–20 m above a surface. With our set up, the footprints cover areas larger than 300 m in diameter, covering thus several land use types and the footprint can be directed towards different dominant land classes (forest, crops, urban etc…). This paper presents the whole set up consisting of in situ measurements (soil moisture and surface temperatures) and L-band radiometry acquired by the LEWIS instrument at high incidence angles. We perform SM/VOD retrievals from brightness temperatures using various configurations which are compared to the in situ observations. We test in particular a 2-VOD retrieval approach that consists in deriving one SM for the entire scene but two VOD, one for agricultural/low vegetation and a VOD for the forest parts, which improves the performance of the SM/VOD retrievals.

The vegetation optical depth (VOD) measured at microwave frequencies is related to the vegetation water content and provides information complementary to visible/infrared vegetation indices. This study is devoted to the characterization of a new VOD data set obtained from SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) satellite observations at L-band (1.4 GHz). Three different SMOS L-band VOD (L-VOD) data sets (SMOS level 2, level 3 and SMOS-IC) were compared with data sets on tree height, visible/infrared indexes (NDVI, EVI), mean annual precipitation and above-ground biomass (AGB) for the African continent. For all relationships, SMOS-IC showed the lowest dispersion and highest correlation. Overall, we found a strong (R > 0.85) correlation with no clear sign of saturation between L-VOD and four AGB data sets. The relationships between L-VOD and the AGB data sets were linear per land cover class but with a changing slope depending on the class type, which makes it a global non-linear relationship. In contrast, the relationship linking L-VOD to tree height (R = 0.87) was close to linear. For vegetation classes other than evergreen broadleaf forest, the annual mean of L-VOD spans a range from 0 to 0.7 and it is linearly correlated with the average annual precipitation. SMOS L-VOD showed higher sensitivity to AGB compared to NDVI and K/X/C-VOD (VOD measured at 19, 10.7 and 6.9 GHz). The results showed that, although the spatial resolution of L-VOD is coarse ( ∼ 40 km), the high temporal frequency and sensitivity to AGB makes SMOS L-VOD a very promising indicator for large-scale monitoring of the vegetation status, in particular biomass.

The objective of this paper is to present the multi-orbit (MO) surface soil moisture (SM) and angle-binned brightness temperature (TB) products for the SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) mission based on a new multi-orbit algorithm. The Level 3 algorithm at CATDS (Centre Aval de Traitement des Données SMOS) makes use of MO retrieval to enhance the robustness and quality of SM retrievals. The motivation of the approach is to make use of the longer temporal autocorrelation length of the vegetation optical depth (VOD) compared to the corresponding SM autocorrelation in order to enhance the retrievals when an acquisition occurs at the border of the swath. The retrieval algorithm is implemented in a unique operational processor delivering multiple parameters (e.g. SM and VOD) using multi-angular dual-polarisation TB from MO. A subsidiary angle-binned TB product is provided. In this study the Level 3 TB V310 product is showcased and compared to SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) TB. The Level 3 SM V300 product is compared to the single-orbit (SO) retrievals from the Level 2 SM processor from ESA with aligned configuration. The advantages and drawbacks of the Level 3 SM product (L3SM) are discussed. The comparison is done on a global scale between the two datasets and on the local scale with respect to in situ data from AMMA-CATCH and USDA ARS Watershed networks. The results obtained from the global analysis show that the MO implementation enhances the number of retrievals: up to 9 % over certain areas. The comparison with the in situ data shows that the increase in the number of retrievals does not come with a decrease in quality, but rather at the expense of an increased time lag in product availability from 6 h to 3.5 days, which can be a limiting factor for applications like flood forecast but reasonable for drought monitoring and climate change studies. The SMOS L3 soil moisture and L3 brightness temperature products are delivered using an open licence and free of charge using a web application (https://www.catds.fr/sipad/). The RE04 products, versions 300 and 310, used in this paper are also available at ftp://ext-catds-cpdc:catds2010@ftp.ifremer.fr/Land_products/GRIDDED/L3SM/RE04/.

Precipitation forcing is usually the main source of uncertainty in hydrology. It is of crucial importance to use accurate forcing in order to obtain a good distribution of the water throughout the basin. For real-time applications, satellite observations allow quasi-real-time precipitation monitoring like the products PERSIANN (Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks, TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) or CMORPH (CPC (Climate Prediction Center) MORPHing). However, especially in West Africa, these precipitation satellite products are highly inaccurate and the water amount can vary by a factor of 2. A post-adjusted version of these products exists but is available with a 2 to 3 month delay, which is not suitable for real-time hydrologic applications. The purpose of this work is to show the possible synergy between quasi-real-time satellite precipitation and soil moisture by assimilating the latter into a hydrological model. Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) soil moisture is assimilated into the Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM) model. By adjusting the soil water content, water table depth and streamflow simulations are much improved compared to real-time precipitation without assimilation: soil moisture bias is decreased even at deeper soil layers, correlation of the water table depth is improved from 0.09–0.70 to 0.82–0.87, and the Nash coefficients of the streamflow go from negative to positive. Overall, the statistics tend to get closer to those from the reanalyzed precipitation. Soil moisture assimilation represents a fair alternative to reanalyzed rainfall products, which can take several months before being available, which could lead to a better management of available water resources and extreme events.

Soil Moisture (SM) is a key parameter in northern Arctic and sub-Arctic (A-SA) environments that are highly vulnerable to climate change. We evaluated six SM satellite passive microwave datasets using thirteen ground-based SM stations across Northwestern America. The best agreement was obtained with SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) products with the lowest RMSD (Root Mean Square Difference) (0.07 m[Formula: see text] m[Formula: see text]) and the highest R (0.55). ESA CCI (European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative) also performed well in terms of correlation with a similar R (0.55) but showed a strong variation among sites. Weak results were obtained over sites with high water body fractions. This study also details and evaluates a dedicated retrieval of SM from SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) brightness temperatures based on the [Formula: see text] model. Two soil dielectric models (Mironov and Bircher) and a dedicated soil roughness and single scattering albedo parameterization were tested. Water body correction in the retrieval shows limited improvement. The metrics of our retrievals (RMSD = 0.08 m[Formula: see text] m[Formula: see text] and R = 0.41) are better than SMOS but outperformed by SMAP. Passive microwave satellite remote sensing is suitable for SM retrieval in the A-SA region, but a dedicated approach should be considered.

This study attempts to derive the uncertainty of the soil moisture estimation from passive microwave satellite mission at global scale. To do so, the approach is based on the sensitivity of the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) soil moisture retrieval quality to the land surface characteristics within its footprint (presence of forest, topography, open water bodies, sand, clay, bulk density and soil organic carbon content). First, we performed a global assessment of SMOS using in situ measurements from the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN) as reference, with more than 1900 ISMN stations and 10 years of SMOS data. This assessment shows that the ubRMSD scores vary greatly between locations (with a mean of 0.074 m3m−3 and an interquartile range of 0.030 m3m−3). Second, the scores are analyzed for different surface conditions within the satellite footprint. The best agreement between the ground measurement and SMOS time series are obtained for low forest cover, low topographic complexity, and marginal presence of open water bodies within the SMOS footprint. Soil parameters also have an impact, with better scores for sandier soils with a high bulk-density and low soil organic carbon content. Finally, we propose to extrapolate the obtained relationships, using a multiple linear regression, in order to derive a global map of SMOS uncertainties based on surface conditions. This map of predicted uncertainties show a diverse range of ubRMSD values across the globe (with a mean of 0.076 m3m−3 and an interquartile range of 0.031 m3m−3) depending on the surface characteristics. At the ISMN site location, the predicted ubRMSD shows similar results than the comparison between SMOS and the in situ measurements. The map of predicted SMOS ubRMSD represents an upper bound estimate of the SMOS uncertainty, as it includes the uncertainties of the in situ sensor measurements and the scale mismatch. Further investigations will focus on the different components of this uncertainty budget to obtain a better assessment of the absolute uncertainties of SMOS soil moisture retrievals across the globe.

In the framework of Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Calibration/Validation (Cal/Val) activities, this study addresses the use of the PERSIANN-CCS1database in hydrological applications to accurately simulate a whole SMOS pixel by representing the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the soil moisture fields over a wide area (50×50 km2). The study focuses on the Valencia Anchor Station (VAS) experimental site, in Spain, which is one of the main SMOS Cal/Val sites in Europe. A faithful representation of the soil moisture distribution at SMOS pixel scale (50×50 km2) requires an accurate estimation of the amount and temporal/spatial distribution of precipitation. To quantify the gain of using the comprehensive PERSIANN database instead of sparsely distributed rain gauge measurements, comparisons between in situ observations and satellite rainfall data are done both at point and areal scale. An overestimation of the satellite rainfall amounts is observed in most of the cases (about 66%) but the precipitation occurrences are in general retrieved (about 67%). To simulate the high variability in space and time of surface soil moisture, a Soil Vegetation Atmosphere Transfer (SVAT) model – ISBA (Interactions between Soil Biosphere Atmosphere) is used. The interest of using satellite rainfall estimates as well as the influence that the precipitation events can induce on the modelling of the water content in the soil is depicted by a comparison between different soil moisture data. Point-like and spatialized simulated data using rain gauge observations or PERSIANN – CCS database as well as ground measurements are used. It is shown that a good adequacy is reached in most part of the year, the precipitation differences having less impact upon the simulated soil moisture. The behaviour of simulated surface soil moisture at SMOS scale is verified by the use of remote sensing data from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer on Earth observing System (AMSR-E). We show that the PERSIANN database provides useful information at temporal and spatial scales in the context of soil moisture retrieval. 1Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks-Cloud Classification System – http://chrs.web.uci.edu/persiann

The main goal of the SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) mission is to deliver global fields of surface soil moisture and sea surface salinity using L-band (1.4 GHz) radiometry. Within the context of the Science preparation for SMOS, the Valencia Anchor Station (VAS) experimental site, in Spain, was chosen to be one of the main test sites in Europe for Calibration/Validation (Cal/Val) activities. In this framework, the paper presents an approach consisting in accurately simulating a whole SMOS pixel by representing the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the soil moisture fields over the wide VAS surface (50×50 km2). Ground and meteorological measurements over the area are used as the input of a Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere-Transfer (SVAT) model, SURFEX (Externalized Surface) - module ISBA (Interactions between Soil-Biosphere-Atmosphere) to simulate the spatial and temporal distribution of surface soil moisture. The calibration as well as the validation of the ISBA model are performed using in situ soil moisture measurements. It is shown that a good consistency is reached when point comparisons between simulated and in situ soil moisture measurements are made. Actually, an important challenge in remote sensing approaches concerns product validation. In order to obtain an representative soil moisture mapping over the Valencia Anchor Station (50×50 km2 area), a spatialization method is applied. For verification, a comparison between the simulated spatialized soil moisture and remote sensing data from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer on Earth observing System (AMSR-E) and from the European Remote Sensing Satellites (ERS-SCAT) is performed. Despite the fact that AMSR-E surface soil moisture product is not reproducing accurately the absolute values, it provides trustworthy information on surface soil moisture temporal variability. However, during the vegetation growing season the signal is perturbed. By using the polarization ratio a better agreement is obtained. ERS-SCAT soil moisture products are also used to be compared with the simulated spatialized soil moisture. However, the lack of soil moisture data from the ERS-SCAT sensor over the area (45 observations for one year) prevented capturing the soil moisture variability.

Abstract Background Despite widespread use of the short-video social media platform TikTok©, limited research investigates how alcohol is portrayed on the platform. Previous research suggests that a driver of alcohol content on TikTok©, in part, comes from bartenders demonstrating how to make drinks. This study aims to explore the characterizing patterns of how bartender influencers on TikTok© feature and incorporate alcohol in their videos. Methods We identified the global top 15 most followed bartenders on TikTok© in 2021 (cumulative 29.7 million subscribers) and the videos they posted in November and December 2021, the period just before Christmas and New Year, when alcohol tends to be more marketed than in other periods. The videos were coded based on five criteria: (1) the presence of alcohol or not; (2) alcohol categories; (3); alcohol brand(s) if visible; (4) the presence of candies and other sweet products; (5) presence of cues that refer to young people’s interests. Results In total, we identified 345 videos, which received 270,325,600 views in total, with an average of 18,021,707 views per video. Among these 345 videos, 92% (n = 317) displayed alcohol in their cocktail recipes (249,275,600 views, with an average of 786,358 views). The most common types of alcohol present in videos were liquor, vodka, rum, and whiskey, all of which are high-ABV beverages. 73% (n = 230) displayed or mentioned an alcohol brand. 17% (n = 55) associated alcohol with sweet products such as different types of candy (53,957,900 views, with an average of 981,053 views per video). 13% (n = 43) contained cues appealing to young people (e.g., cartoons, characters) (15,763,300 views, with an average of 366,588 views per video). Conclusions Our findings suggest a large presence of positively framed alcohol content posted by popular bartenders on TikTok©. As exposure to digital marketing is related to an increase in alcohol consumption, particularly among young people, regulations are needed to protect the public from alcohol-related harms.

Abstract A data-driven approach insensitive to the initial conditions was developed to extract governing equations for the concentration of CO2 in the Altamira cave (Spain) and its two main drivers: the outside temperature and the soil moisture. This model was then reformulated in order to use satellite observations and meteorological predictions, as a forcing. The concentration of CO2 inside the cave was then investigated from 1950 to 2100 under various scenarios. It is found that extreme levels of CO2 were reached during the period 1950–1972 due to the massive affluence of visitors. It is demonstrated that it is possible to monitor the CO2 in the cave in real time using satellite information as an external forcing. For the future, it is shown that the maximum values of CO2 will exceed the levels reached during the 1980s and the 1990s when the CO2 introduced by the touristic visits, although intentionally reduced, still enhanced considerably the micro corrosion of walls and pigments.

The lobbying strategies of the food industry, which seek to undermine the development of regulatory measures intended to improve public health, are increasingly well documented and associated with slow progress in addressing diet-related diseases at national, regional and global levels. These strategies include the creation and dissemination of biased research findings in order to skew evidence in the favour of the industry, and to cast doubt about the harms stemming from its products and practices. Front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FoPNL) provides fertile ground for industry opposition, which we discuss in this commentary.

Abstract Background The exploitative marketing of commercial milk formula (CMF) reduces breastfeeding, and harms child and maternal health globally. Yet forty years after the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes (The Code) was adopted by WHO member states, many countries are still to fully implement its provisions into national law. Furthermore, despite The Code, worldwide CMF markets have markedly expanded. In this paper, we adopt Brazil as a case study to understand the power of the baby food industry’s marketing and corporate political activity, and how this influences the country’s ‘first-food system’ in ways that promote and sustain CMF consumption. Methods We used a case study design, drawing data from from documents and key informant interviews (N = 10). Results Breastfeeding rates plummeted in Brazil to a historic low in the 1970s. A resurgence in breastfeeding from the mid-1980s onwards reflected strengthening political commitment for a national policy framework and breastfeeding protection law, resulting in-turn, from collective actions by breastfeeding coalitions, advocates, and mothers. Yet more recently, improvements in breastfeeding have plateaued in Brazil, while the industry grew CMF sales in Brazil by 750% between 2006 and 20. As regulations tightened, the industry has more aggressively promoted CMF for older infants and young children, as well as specialised formulas. The baby food industry is empowered through association with powerful industry groups, and employs lobbyists with good access to policymakers. The industry has captured the pediatric profession in Brazil through its long-standing association with the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics. Conclusion Brazil illustrates how the baby food industry uses marketing and political activity to promote and sustain CMF markets, to the detriment of breastfeeding. Our results demonstrate that this industry requires much greater scrutiny by regulators.

Background In recent years, interactions between nutrition professionals (NPs) and the food industry, such as sponsorship arrangements, have raised concerns, particularly as these may negatively impact the trustworthiness and credibility of the nutrition profession. This study aimed to map the literature and identify knowledge gaps regarding interactions between NPs and industry. We sought to examine the nature of such interactions and NPs perspectives about these, as well as the risks and solutions.Methods We conducted a scoping review according to a pre-registered protocol, searching eight electronic databases and grey literature sources in March 2021 to identify documents for inclusion. Two independent reviewers screened citations for inclusion and conducted data extraction. Quantitative and qualitative syntheses were conducted.Results We identified 115 documents for analysis, published between 1980 to 2021, with a majority from the United States (n = 59, 51%). Only 32% (n = 37) were empirical studies. The food industry was the most frequent industry type discussed (n = 91, 79%). We identified 32 types of interactions between NPs and industry, such as continuing education provided by industry and sponsorship of professional bodies and health and nutrition organizations. The financial survival of nutrition organizations and continuing education access for NPs were the most frequently cited advantages of industry-NPs interactions. On the other hand, undermining public trust, NPs credibility and public health nutrition recommendations were pointed out as risks of these interactions. Following a code of ethics, policies, or guidelines was the most frequently proposed solution for managing these interactions.Conclusion Despite the increasing attention given to this issue, few empirical papers have been published to date. There is a need for more research to better and systematically document industry interactions with NPs and the impacts associated with these, as well as more research on effective management strategies.

Background Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people a year. The products and services of unhealthy commodity industries (UCIs) such as tobacco, alcohol, ultra-processed foods and beverages and gambling are responsible for much of this health burden. While effective public health policies are available to address this, UCIs have consistently sought to stop governments and global organisations adopting such policies through what is known as corporate political activity (CPA). We aimed to contribute to the study of CPA and development of effective countermeasures by formulating a model and evidence-informed taxonomies of UCI political activity.Methods We used five complementary methods: critical interpretive synthesis of the conceptual CPA literature; brief interviews; expert co-author knowledge; stakeholder workshops; testing against the literature.Results We found 11 original conceptualisations of CPA; four had been used by other researchers and reported in 24 additional review papers. Combining an interpretive synthesis of all these papers and feedback from users, we developed two taxonomies – one on framing strategies and one on action strategies. The former identified three frames (policy actors, problem, and solutions) and the latter six strategies (access and influence policy-making, use the law, manufacture support for industry, shape evidence to manufacture doubt, displace, and usurp public health, manage reputations to industry’s advantage). We also offer an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of UCI strategies and a model that situates industry CPA in the wider social, political, and economic context.Conclusion Our work confirms the similarity of CPA across UCIs and demonstrates its extensive and multi-faceted nature, the disproportionate power of corporations in policy spaces and the unacceptable conflicts of interest that characterise their engagement with policy-making. We suggest that industry CPA is recognised as a corruption of democracy, not an element of participatory democracy. Our taxonomies and model provide a starting point for developing effective solutions.

IntroductionWe analyzed the bio-food industry’s corporate political activity (CPA) during the revisions of Canada’s food guide between 2016 and 2019. MethodsWe undertook a content analysis of the websites of 11 bio-food industry organizations and of the briefs that 10 of them submitted to the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Health, as part of this Committee’s review of the food guide. Data were classified according to an existing conceptual framework. ResultsWe identified 366 examples of CPA used by the bio-food industry during and immediately after the development of the food guide. Most of the industry actors opposed the guide’s recommendations. The most common CPA strategies were information management (n = 197), used to create and disseminate information in industry’s favour, and discursive strategies (n = 108), used to defend food products and promote the industry’s position regarding the food guide. Influencing public policy (n = 40), by gaining indirect access to policy makers (e.g. through lobbying) and becoming active in government decision-making, as well as coalition management (n = 21), by establishing relationships with opinion leaders and health organizations, were also common strategies. ConclusionBio-food industry actors used many different CPA strategies during the revisions of the food guide. It is important to continue to document the bio-food industry’s CPA to understand whether and how this is shaping public policy development in Canada and elsewhere.

IntroductionNous avons analysé les activités politiques corporatives de l’industrie bioalimentaire pendant le processus de révision du guide alimentaire canadien entre 2016 et 2019. MéthodologieNous avons entrepris une analyse du contenu du site Web de 11 organisations de l’industrie bioalimentaire et des mémoires que 10 d’entre elles ont présentés au Comité permanent de la santé de la Chambre des communes du Canada dans le cadre de la révision du guide alimentaire canadien par le Comité. Les données ont été classées selon un cadre conceptuel préexistant. RésultatsNous avons relevé 366 exemples d’activités politiques utilisées par des organisations de l’industrie bioalimentaire pendant et immédiatement après l’élaboration du guide alimentaire canadien. La plupart des acteurs de l’industrie se sont opposés aux recommandations du guide. Les stratégies les plus utilisées étaient la gestion de l’information (n = 197), pour créer et diffuser de l’information en faveur des positions de l’industrie, et des stratégies discursives (n = 108), pour défendre certains produits alimentaires et promouvoir la position de l’industrie à l’égard du guide alimentaire. Parmi les autres stratégies couramment employées, citons les activités visant à influencer les politiques publiques (n = 40), en obtenant un accès indirect aux décideurs (par exemple par le lobbying) et en participant activement au processus décisionnel du gouvernement, et les activités de gestion de coalition (n = 21), qui consistaient à établir des relations avec des leaders d’opinion et des organisations oeuvrant dans le domaine de la santé. ConclusionLes acteurs de l’industrie bioalimentaire ont utilisé de nombreuses stratégies pour mener des activités politiques corporatives pendant la révision du guide alimentaire canadien. Il est important de continuer à documenter les activités politiques menées par les organisations de l’industrie bioalimentaire pour comprendre si et comment elles façonnent l’élaboration des politiques publiques au Canada et ailleurs.

Abstract Background In recent decades there has been a global rise in consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to the detriment of population health and the environment. Large corporations that have focused heavily on low-cost manufacturing and extensive marketing of UPFs to maximise profits have driven this dietary transition. The same corporations claim to serve the interests of multiple ‘stakeholders’, and that they are contributing to sustainable development. This paper aimed to test these claims by examining the degree to which UPF corporations have become ‘financialised’, focusing on the extent to which they have prioritised the financial interests of their shareholders relative to other actors, as well as the role that various types of investors have played in influencing their governance. Findings were used to inform discussion on policy responses to improve the healthiness of population diets. Methods We adopted an exploratory research design using multiple methods. We conducted quantitative analysis of the financial data of U.S. listed food and agricultural corporations between 1962 and 2021, share ownership data of a selection of UPF corporations, and proxy voting data of a selection of investors between 2012 and 2022. We also conducted targeted narrative reviews using structured and branching searches of academic and grey literature. Results Since the 1980s, corporations that depend heavily on manufacturing and marketing UPFs to generate profits have been increasingly transferring money to their shareholders relative to their total revenue, and at a level considerably higher than other food and agricultural sectors. In recent years, large hedge fund managers have had a substantial influence on the governance of major UPF corporations in their pursuit of maximising short-term returns. In comparison, shareholders seeking to take steps to improve population diets have had limited influence, in part because large asset managers mostly oppose public health-related shareholder proposals. Conclusions The operationalisation of ‘shareholder primacy’ by major UPF corporations has driven inequity and undermines their claims that they are creating ‘value’ for diverse actors. Measures that protect population diets and food systems from the extractive forces of financialisation are likely needed as part of efforts to improve the healthiness of population diets.

Abstract Objective: To gain insight into the experiences and perspectives of registered dietitians (RD) in Canada regarding their interactions with commercial actors and actions undertaken to manage these interactions. Design: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews combined with a document analysis. Setting: Quebec, Canada Participants: RD aged ≥ 18 years (n 18) Results: All participants reported interacting with commercial actors during their careers, such as receiving continuing education provided or sponsored by food companies. RD in Quebec perceive these interactions as either trivial or acceptable, depending on the commercial actor or interaction type. Participants discussed how certain interactions could represent a threat to the credibility and public trust in dietitians, among other risks. They also discussed the benefits of these interactions, such as the possibility for professionals to improve the food supply and public health by sharing their knowledge and expertise. Participants reported ten mechanisms used to manage interactions with commercial actors, such as following a code of ethics (individual level) and policies such as partnerships policy (institutional level). Finally, RD also stressed the need for training and more explicit and specific tools for managing interactions with commercial actors. Conclusions: RD in Quebec, Canada, may engage with commercial actors in their profession and hold nuanced perspectives on this matter. While some measures are in place to regulate these interactions, they are neither standardised nor evaluated for their effectiveness. To maintain the public’s trust in RD, promoting awareness and developing training on this issue is essential.

Abstract Objectives: To measure incidence of conflicts of interest (COI) with food and pharmaceutical industry actors on the advisory committee for the 2020–2025 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and assess the adequacy of current mechanisms to disclose and manage COI among the committee’s members. Design: We compiled longitudinal data from archival sources on connections between members of the DGA’s advisory committee and actors. We hypothesised that these committee members, who oversee the science for the most influential dietary policy in the USA, might have significant COI that would be relevant to their decision making. Disclosure of COI on this committee was recommended in 2017 by the National Academies of Sciences in order to increase transparency and manage bias, but public disclosure of the committee’s COI does not appear to have taken place. Setting: The committee was composed of twenty experts. Participants: None. Results: Our analysis found that 95 % of the committee members had COI with the food and/or pharmaceutical industries and that particular actors, including Kellogg, Abbott, Kraft, Mead Johnson, General Mills, Dannon and the International Life Sciences, had connections with multiple members. Research funding and membership of an advisory/executive board jointly accounted for more than 60 % of the total number of COI documented. Conclusions: Trustworthy dietary guidelines result from a transparent, objective and science-based, process. Our analysis has shown that the significant and widespread COI on the committee prevent the DGA from achieving the recommended standard for transparency without mechanisms in place to make this information publicly available.