Food Service Professionals' Perspectives on the Barriers and Facilitators to the Implementation of Nutrition Standards for School Food
A Mixed‐Methods Systematic Review
Bibliographic Data
BACKGROUND: Internationally, nutrition standards for school food have been implemented. Food service professionals are key to their implementation. This mixed-methods systematic review provides an overview of the barriers and facilitators faced by food service professionals when implementing food/nutrition standards and provides an important link between policy and practice. METHODS: Peer-reviewed and grey literature were searched across electronic databases and public health organization websites. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used as a framework in the analysis. FINDINGS: Twenty-nine studies met the eligibility criteria. The most frequently cited barriers to the CFIR constructs/subconstructs were linked to the internal school setting. This included staffing, materials and equipment, and funding. Frequently cited facilitators coded to CFIR included external partnerships/connections and staff motivation to implement the standards. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: Our findings highlight not only well-documented challenges such as funding and staffing but also the novel and pivotal insights from food service professionals that point to practical, systems-level solutions. CONCLUSION: Researchers and practitioners can utilize the results to devise strategies to heighten implementation, as well as capitalize on factors that aid in the implementation process.
Food service · Food standards · MEDLINE · Nutrition Education · Program evaluation · Service (business) · Service provider · Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |