The Role of Regulation in Health Behavior (Listed in System as “Federal/State Regulation (FDA)”)

The use of regulation by governments to change behaviors and improve health is widespread. This entry outlines the basics of regulation and provides examples of regulation in the context of improving and changing health behaviors including tobacco, healthcare, nutrition labels, and other domains. Support for the use of regulation as a strategy to improve health is also discussed. Finally, regulatory science is defined and explained as a strategy for health psychology to inform regulation.