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Capturing the whole-school food environment in primary schools
Sarah E Moore1,2, Sarah F Brennan1,2, Fiona Lavelle1
1Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, BelfastBT9 5AG, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Public Health Nutrition
|June 5, 2023
Summary
A new instrument effectively assesses the whole school food environment (SFE) in primary schools. This tool identifies areas for improvement, such as enhancing food presentation and promoting healthy eating activities to foster better dietary behaviours.
Area of Science:
- Public Health Nutrition
- Educational Policy
- Health Promotion
Background:
- The school food environment (SFE) presents a crucial opportunity for promoting healthy dietary behaviours among students.
- A comprehensive assessment tool is needed to evaluate the multifaceted aspects of the SFE.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an instrument for assessing the whole school food environment (SFE).
- To test the instrument's utility in primary school settings.
- To utilize the instrument's findings for generating actionable food environment recommendations.
Main Methods:
- Instrument development based on SFE literature and UK school food guidance.
- Combined observational proforma (canteen, food presentation, intake monitoring) and questionnaire (policies, provision, activities).
- Pilot testing in 18 primary schools across diverse geographical and socio-economic areas in Northern Ireland.
Main Results:
- The developed instrument captured relevant details for whole-SFE assessment.
- Significant variations in SFE were observed, with notable differences in policy implementation and monitoring.
- Identified opportunities for enhancement included physical eating environments (67%), food presentation (83%), healthy eating activities (78%), and parental engagement (56%).
Conclusions:
- The instrument is capable of measuring the whole SFE in primary schools and informing recommendations.
- Further validation and adaptation are necessary for its use as a research tool or for school self-assessment.
- The findings highlight specific areas within the SFE that require improvement to support healthier eating.
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