Capturing the whole-school food environment in primary schools
Bibliographic Data
Objective: The school food environment (SFE) is an ideal setting for encouraging healthy dietary behaviour. We aimed to develop an instrument to assess whole-SFE, test the instrument in the school setting and demonstrate its use to make food environment recommendations. Design: SFE literature and UK school food guidance were searched to inform instrument items. The instrument consisted of (i) an observation proforma capturing canteen areas systems, food presentation and monitoring of food intake and (ii) a questionnaire assessing food policies, provision and activities. The instrument was tested in schools and used to develop SFE recommendations. Descriptive analyses enabled narrative discussion. Setting: Primary schools. Participants: An observation was undertaken at schools in urban and rural geographical regions of Northern Ireland of varying socio-economic status ( n 18). School senior management completed the questionnaire with input from school caterers ( n 16). Results: The instrument captured desired detail and potential instrument modifications were identified. SFE varied. Differences existed between food policies and how policies were implemented and monitored. At many schools, there was scope to enhance physical eating environments ( n 12, 67 %) and food presentation ( n 15, 83 %); emphasise healthy eating through food activities ( n 7, 78 %) and increase parental engagement in school food ( n 9, 56 %). Conclusions: The developed instrument can measure whole-SFE in primary schools and also enabled identification of recommendations to enhance SFE. Further assessment and adaptation of the instrument are required to enable future use as a research tool or for self-assessment use by schools
Environmental health · Food frequency questionnaire · Medical education · Presentation (obstetrics · Scope (computer science · Computer Science · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · School Health and Nursing Education · Urban Agriculture and Sustainability
The WHO Health Promoting School framework for improving the health and well-being of students and their academic achievement
The World Health Organization’s Health Promoting Schools framework
Scale Construction
Effectiveness of school food environment policies on children’s dietary behaviors
Variations in schools’ commitment to health and implementation of health improvement activities
Cafeteria assessment for elementary schools (Cafes)
The implementation and effectiveness of school-based nutrition promotion programmes using a health-promoting schools approach
Enablers and barriers to implementation of and compliance with school-based healthy food and beverage policies
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |