Does the physical food environment in secondary school influence students’ social norm perceptions regarding healthy dietary choices? – An exploratory study in the Netherlands
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12544310 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Bonnie Maria van Dongen (0000-0001-6718-3081, Department of Health, corresponding author), Naomi A Camfferman (Department of Health), Sandra Klunder (Netherlands Nutrition Centre), Lydian Veldhuis (Netherlands Nutrition Centre), Sanne Raghoebar (0000-0002-3181-3034, Wageningen University & Research), Carry M Renders (0000-0001-6688-1312, Department of Health) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 98 |
| Pages | 103594-103594 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-09 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Health & Place (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1353-8292 • E-ISSN: 1873-2054 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103594 |
| PMID | 41655412 |
| OpenAlex | W7128373097 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 35 |
Creating a healthy food environment in secondary schools has the potential to communicate social norms regarding healthy dietary choices. This study explored the relationship between the schools' food environment and perceived descriptive (what others do) and injunctive (what others approve) norms regarding healthy dietary choices among adolescents. An exploratory (quasi-experimental) study was conducted in 23 Dutch schools, differing between three arms based on implementation degree of a Healthy School Canteen Program: limited, moderate or sustainable. Students (n = 1004) completed a questionnaire about descriptive and injunctive norms regarding water, fruit/vegetables, snacks, sugar-containing beverages, brown/whole wheat bread. Multi-level analyses were conducted (two-level hierarchical data structure). Compared to limited implementation, students in schools with moderate implementation indicated less favorable norm perceptions with (a) lower descriptive norm scores regarding water (-.30, 95 % CI [-.47; -.12]), (b) lower injunctive norm scores regarding fruit/vegetables (-.29, 95 % CI [-.49; -.10]) and water (-.34, 95 % CI [-.49; -.20]), and (c) higher injunctive norm scores regarding sugar containing beverages (.17, 95 % CI [.02; .32]). No significant differences were observed between students in schools with sustainable implementation and limited implementation. Compared to sustainable implementation, students in schools with moderate implementation indicated less favorable injunctive norm perceptions regarding fruit/vegetables (-.28, 95 % CI [-.47; -.08] and water (-.26, 95 % CI [-.41; -.12]). This study illustrates the complex interplay between perceived social norms regarding healthy dietary choices and efforts to create a healthy food environment. Future research should examine how social norms evolve over time within schools, taking into account their unique context
Descriptive research · Descriptive statistics · Exploratory research · Healthy food · Multilevel model · Norm (philosophy · Perception · Social norms approach · Unhealthy food · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Individual and Environmental Influences on Adolescent Eating Behaviors
Tracking of obesity-related behaviours from childhood to adulthood
Influence of peers and friends on children's and adolescents' eating and activity behaviors
Creating Healthy Food and Eating Environments
The sustainability of public health interventions in schools
Characterizing the obesogenic environment
The potential of peer social norms to shape food intake in adolescents and young adults
Adolescence
Associations of sugar-related food parenting practices and parental feeding styles with prospective dietary behavior of children and adolescents
The Impact of a Gradual Healthier Assortment among Vocational Schools Participating in a School Canteen Programme
Obesogenic’ School Food Environments? An Urban Case Study in The Netherlands
Changes in school environment, awareness and actions regarding overweight prevention among Dutch secondary schools between 2006–2007 and 2010–2011
The food environment through the eyes of adolescents
Development of the ‘Canteen Scan’
Preadolescents’ healthy eating behavior
Food supply and actions to improve dietary behaviour of students – a comparison between secondary schools participating or not participating in the ‘Healthy School Canteen Program’
Development of healthy and sustainable food-based dietary guidelines for the Netherlands
Implementation Matters
Experts' perceptions on motivators and barriers of healthy and sustainable dietary behaviors among adolescents
Peer influence on snacking behavior in adolescence
Identifying social norms in physical aspects of food environments
Neighbourhood, school and home food environment associations with dietary behaviours in Hong Kong adolescents
A focus theory of normative conduct
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |