Description
Background – Whereas secondary schools are promising places to stimulate healthy and sustainable diets among a broad range of adolescents, it is currently unclear whether and how Dutch school food programmes integrate aspects of health and sustainability using the entire school context. This study therefore aims to explore how aspects of health and sustainability are incorporated in Dutch school food programmes, and explore the implementation of these programmes within the school context, using the Whole School Approach (WSA) as analytical framework.Methods - Online semi-structured interviews (N=15) were conducted between November 2021 and January 2022 with representatives of included programmes, supplemented by a documentary analysis of scientific and grey literature (e.g. evaluation reports). Transcripts and literature were analysed thematically by two researchers through inductive and deductive coding strategies.
Findings - Programmes focused either on healthy and sustainable diets (N=4), healthy diets (N=4) or sustainable diets (N=6). Themes as dietary guidelines, consumption of food groups (e.g. more plant-based), and food production and origin (e.g. minimally processed foods) were most included in descriptions of healthy and sustainable dietary behaviours. Programmes were implemented using multiple components of the WSA (e.g. the element ‘vision’ by stimulating schools to implement a food policy, and ‘environment’ through the (indirect) involvement of family through assignments), but few connected different components.
Discussion - Our results indicate room for a more integral approach to healthy and sustainable dietary behaviour within current programmes, along with a stronger connection between WSA components to further integrate this theme in the secondary school context.
| Period | 4 Sept 2023 → 8 Sept 2023 |
|---|---|
| Event title | 37th Annual Conference of the European Health Psychology Society (2023): Health Psychology for all: Equity, Inclusiveness and Transformation |
| Event type | Conference/symposium |
| Location | Bremen, GermanyShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |