Glossary and concepts
This glossary includes terms commonly used in different chapters of the report.
Behavioural change A behavioural change can be a temporary or permanent effect that is considered a change in an individual's behaviour when compared to previous behaviour (Darnton 2008).
Body Mass Index (BMI) BMI is a frequently used measure that uses a person’s height and weight to indicate if the person’s weight is healthy. The measure is a number based on a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. A BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 is considered within the normal range.
Food consumption The act of using, eating, or drinking something (Cambridge Dictionary).
Nordic countries/regions The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or Norden; lit. 'the North') are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic. It includes the sovereign states of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden; the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland; and the autonomous region of Åland.
Food environment “Food environments are the physical, economic, political and socio-cultural contexts in which people engage with the food system to make their decisions about acquiring, preparing and consuming food”, and “The food environment is the interface that mediates people’s food acquisition and consumption within the wider food system. It encompasses external dimensions such as the availability, prices, vendor and product properties, and promotional information; and personal dimensions such as the accessibility, affordability, convenience and desirability of food sources and products”.
Nordic Nutrition Recommendation 2023 (NNR2023) dietary advice: “Overall, we recommend a predominantly plant-based diet rich in vegetables, fruits, berries, pulses, potatoes and whole grains, ample amounts of fish and nuts, moderate intake of low-fat dairy products, limited intake of red meat, white meat, processed meat, alcohol, and processed foods containing amounts of added fats, salt and sugar” (Blomhoff et al 2023).
Policy instrument: A policy instrument is a measure or a tool used by governments or public authorities at different levels to achieve certain policy objectives (Banerjee et al. 2021). Public policy instruments can take various forms including regulatory (laws, regulations), economic (taxes, subsidies, charges), information campaigns and direct government intervention (public provision of services). The choice of instruments depends on the policy objective (Macura et al. 2022).