Factors contributing to food choice in the UK secondary school food setting: a systems map perspective

To co-develop a systems map of the UK secondary school food system and to understand what factors contribute to food choice within it.

Participatory methods were used with a range of UK school stakeholders to co-produce a systems map of factors contributing to food choice in the secondary school food system. An online survey with stakeholders (n 26) was used to gather an initial list of factors, and a group model-building workshop was conducted with stakeholders (n 13) to establish relationships between these factors. Two school workshops captured the views of students (n 17). The map then underwent final refinement by the research team, and all stakeholders were provided the opportunity to provide feedback on the final version.

United Kingdom.

UK school stakeholders.

The systems map contained twenty-four factors with forty-three direct causal relationships between them, each factor falling into one of six themes: catering and procurement; school leadership and governance; the priority of food within schools; social experience, behaviours and attitudes; the food space and experience in school and financial. The map demonstrates how each of the factors interacts with each other, including the direction of influence. It also reveals feedback loops that shape and sustain food choice patterns in secondary schools.

The systems map provides a visualisation of the complex secondary school food system and can be used by stakeholders in the design and evaluation of whole-school, multi-component interventions and programmes targeting food choice in secondary schools.