Socioeconomic inequalities in diet quality: from identifying the problem to implementing solutions

In high-income countries, poor diet is both a leading contributor to the burden of disease and strongly socioeconomically and demographically patterned. The many forms of a poor diet, from food insecurity, through a lack of intake of healthy foods to an excess intake of unhealthy food and drink, represent a substantial modifiable driver of inequalities in health and well-being. Here, we review the drivers of these inequalities, with a critical reflection on the interventions most likely to improve inequalities in a healthy diet. Interventions currently exist at the levels of the individual, the community and society that have the potential to improve diet quality across our communities, with greatest benefit for those with greatest need. We conclude that greater attention needs to be paid to the potential impact of specific population nutrition strategies, their sociocultural applicability, their implementation, and their evaluation, if they are to play a significant role in reducing inequalities in diet and health.