The political economy of infant and young child feeding: confronting corporate power, overcoming structural barriers, and accelerating progress.

Despite increasing evidence about the value and importance of breastfeeding, less than half of the world's infants and young children (aged 0-36 months) are breastfed as recommended. This Series paper examines the social, political, and economic reasons for this problem. First, this paper highlights the power of the commercial milk formula (CMF) industry to commodify the feeding of infants and young children; influence policy at both national and international levels in ways that grow and sustain CMF markets; and externalise the social, environmental, and economic costs of CMF.

Marketing of commercial milk formula: a system to capture parents, communities, science, and policy.

Despite proven benefits, less than half of infants and young children globally are breastfed in accordance with the recommendations of WHO. In comparison, commercial milk formula (CMF) sales have increased to about US$55 billion annually, with more infants and young children receiving formula products than ever. This Series paper describes the CMF marketing playbook and its influence on families, health professionals, science, and policy processes, drawing on national survey data, company reports, case studies, methodical scoping reviews, and two multicountry research studies.

Development and validation of the Alcohol Message Perceived Effectiveness Scale.

To assist intervention developers assess the likely effectiveness of messages designed to encourage greater use of protective behavioral strategies, this study developed and tested the Alcohol Message Perceived Effectiveness Scale (AMPES). Recommendations from the message effectiveness literature were used to guide AMPES development. The resulting scale was administered in online surveys at two time points to Australian drinkers aged 18-70 years (3001 at Time 1 and 1749 at Time 2).

A randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of combinations of 'why to reduce' and 'how to reduce' alcohol harm-reduction communications.

Introduction: Alcohol is a major source of harm worldwide. The aim of this study was to experimentally assess the effects of exposing Australian adult drinkers to combinations of 'why to reduce' and 'how to reduce' alcohol harm-reduction messages.

Methods: Three online surveys were administered over six weeks: Time 1 at baseline (n = 7,995), Time 2 at three weeks post-baseline (n = 4,588), and Time 3 at six weeks post-baseline (n = 2,687).

Attitudinal factors associated with drink counting.

Introduction: 'Count your drinks' is a protective behavioural strategy (PBS) that has been found to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption. Previous research has shown that females, older people and low-risk drinkers are more likely to use this strategy, but little is known about the attitudinal factors associated with engaging in drink counting. This information is important for developing effective interventions to encourage use of this PBS.

Maximising the impact of global and national physical activity guidelines: the critical role of communication strategies.

Objectives: Physical activity guidelines are evidence-based statements on recommended physical activity levels for good health. Guidelines, in isolation, are unlikely to increase population levels of physical activity; appropriate and effective communication is fundamental to maximising their impact. The aim of this paper is to provide a planning framework for physical activity guideline communication, including an overview of key audiences, aims and approaches.

Selling second best: how infant formula marketing works.

Background: Despite the clear policy intent to contain it, the marketing of formula milk remains widespread, powerful and successful. This paper examines how it works.

Methods: The study comprised a mix of secondary analysis of business databases and qualitative interviews with marketing practitioners, some of whom had previously worked in formula marketing.

Impact of a ban on the open display of tobacco products in retail outlets on never smoking youth in the UK: findings from a repeat cross-sectional survey before, during and after implementation.

Background: In the UK, a ban on the open display of tobacco products at the point of sale (POS) was phased in between 2012 and 2015. We explored any impact of the ban on youth before, during and after implementation.

Methods: A repeat cross-sectional in-home survey with young people aged 11-16 years old in the UK was conducted preban (2011, n=1373), mid-ban (2014, n=1205) and postban (2016, n=1213).

Hostage to fortune: an empirical study of the tobacco industry's business strategies since the advent of e-cigarettes.

The tobacco market has been transformed by the arrival of e-cigarettes and array of alternative nicotine delivery systems (ANDS). Public health has struggled to cope with these changes and clear divisions are apparent, but less is known about the tobacco industry (TI) response. This first empirical study to examine TI and independent ANDS companies' business strategies fills this gap.

Remembering who owns the river.

We have discovered the elixir of life. For the first time in human existence we now know how we can avoid disease, make our lives healthier and more fulfilled, and even fend off the grim reaper himself (at least for a while). We may not have joined the immortals - many traps and snares continue to prey on us - but we are beginning to learn some of their secrets.

Public attitudes towards alcohol control policies in Scotland and England: Results from a mixed-methods study.

The harmful effects of heavy drinking on health have been widely reported, yet public opinion on governmental responsibility for alcohol control remains divided. This study examines UK public attitudes towards alcohol policies, identifies underlying dimensions that inform these, and relationships with perceived effectiveness. A cross-sectional mixed methods study involving a telephone survey of 3477 adult drinkers aged 16-65 and sixteen focus groups with 89 adult drinkers in Scotland and England was conducted between September 2012 and February 2013.

Adolescents' Perceptions of an On-cigarette Health Warning.

Introduction: In most countries, health warnings have been on cigarette packs for decades. We explored adolescents' perceptions of a health warning on cigarettes.

Methods: Data come from the 2014 wave of a cross-sectional in-home survey with 11- to 16-year olds (N = 1205) from across the UK, with participants recruited from the general population using random location quota sampling.

Adolescents' responses to the promotion and flavouring of e-cigarettes.

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to examine adolescents' awareness of e-cigarette marketing and investigate the impact of e-cigarette flavour descriptors on perceptions of product harm and user image.

Methods: Data come from the 2014 Youth Tobacco Policy Survey, a cross-sectional in-home survey conducted with 11-16 year olds across the UK (n = 1205). Adolescents' awareness of e-cigarette promotion, brands, and flavours was assessed.

Teenage perceptions of electronic cigarettes in Scottish tobacco-education school interventions: co-production and innovative engagement through a pop-up radio project.

Aims: This article thematically analyses spontaneous responses of teenagers and explores their perceptions of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) with a focus on smoking cessation from data collected for research exploring Scottish secondary school students' recall of key messages from tobacco-education interventions and any influence on perceptions and behaviours.

Methods: E-cigarettes were not included in the research design as they did not feature in interventions. However, in discussions in all participating schools, e-cigarettes were raised by students unprompted by researchers.

Lay epidemiology and the interpretation of low-risk drinking guidelines by adults in the United Kingdom.

Aims: To explore how the concept of lay epidemiology can enhance understandings of how drinkers make sense of current UK drinking guidelines.

Methods: Qualitative study using 12 focus groups in four sites in northern England and four sites in central Scotland. Participants were 66 male and female drinkers, aged between 19 and 65 years, of different socio-economic backgrounds.

Public health and the value of disobedience.

The writings of a sixteenth century French teenager may seem a stretch for a public health readership, but Etienne de la Boétie's treatise on Voluntary Servitude explains why unjust systems prevail and how they can be changed. They prevail, he shows, because we let them (the losers always vastly outnumber the winners); and they change when we retract our permission (as Ghandi demonstrated). These vital insights have inspired progress down the centuries--the enlightenment philosophers, the French Revolution, Tolstoy, the American civil rights movement as well as the Indian struggle against the British Empire.