A commercial determinants of health perspective on hospital food for children in high-income countries: we need to re-prioritize health

This paper presents a critical narrative review of issues around hospital food for children in high-income countries. Hospitals in high-income countries do not consistently provide appropriate and healthful food environments to their patients and visitors, especially children and young people. This is concerning, as appropriate food intake is fundamental for children and young people’s prevention and recovery from diseases, physical growth, and psychological development. Hospital food environments, both on wards and in hospital-based food outlets, urgently need to be improved. It is evident that the infiltration of powerful corporate operators within healthcare contexts selling and promoting calorie-dense ultra-processed foods should be avoided in order to minimize public health and patient harms. Food options that are appealing and appropriate for children from minoritized ethnic groups and/or different cultural backgrounds must be routinely provided. Hospitals should be sites of resistance from the commercial determinants of health, protecting children and young people from business interests that damage population health. Appropriate funding will be required to achieve structural changes to take place in this realm. And robust evaluation research needs to be carried out on interventions to improve children’s food in healthcare settings.