Description
Background: Secondary schools are identified as promising places to stimulate healthy and sustainable diets among adolescents. However, little research explored the mechanisms underlying current school-based food and nutrition programmes. Therefore, this study aims to identify behavioural determinants targeted by such programmes in the Netherlands, and the behaviour change techniques (BCTs) incorporated in these programmes. Insight in currently used determinants and BCTs may show gaps, which can inform the development of future programmes.Methods: Fifteen online semi-structured interviews were conducted between November 2021 and January 2022 with representatives of included programmes, supplemented by a document analysis of scientific and grey literature (e.g., evaluation reports). Transcripts and literature were analysed deductively, using the terminology of Carey et al. (2018) and the BCT Taxonomy v1 (Michie et al., 2013), followed by an inductive coding phase.
Findings: Determinants knowledge (n=13), skills (n=12), and awareness (n=7) were identified most, as well as BCTs knowledge transfer (n=8), natural consequences (n=7) and goals and planning (n=5). Additionally, pedagogical factors were identified that did not fit the coding scheme, but were indicated as important for successful delivery, such as using activating teaching methods and connecting to adolescents’ lived experiences.
Discussion: Our results indicate that current programmes highly focus on individual factors and that there is room for programmes to also target factors in other socioecological layers (e.g., physical environment, social influences) for a more comprehensive approach. Our results further indicate the importance of considering how programmes are presented to the target group, e.g., by using activating learning methods.
| Period | 3 Sept 2024 → 6 Sept 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | 38th Annual Conference of the European Health Psychology Society: Health Psychology for a Sustainable Future |
| Event type | Conference/symposium |
| Location | Cascais, PortugalShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |