Implementation of mandatory nutritional guidelines in South Australian primary school canteens: A qualitative study

Abstract

Primary schools are identified as being in a primary position to offer nutrition education. Moreover, primary schools can offer an environment which is conducive to the promotion of healthy eating while influencing eating behaviours of children to benefit their health, well-being and academic development and performance. School canteens are one area where a healthy ethos can be encouraged and within Australia, canteens have been the target of recommended or mandated healthy eating state government policies. This is comparable to other Australian health policies mandated in schools in an effort to support good nutrition and physical health among students. Using a qualitative case study approach, this article discusses the implementation of the ‘Right Bite Healthy Food and Drinks Strategy for South Australian Schools and Preschools’ (Right Bite). The case study was undertaken in two primary schools to gain a thorough and in-depth investigation of emerging issues regarding the school canteen and used focus group and face-to-face interviews as well as observation. The data collected were coded and analysed into themes. Respondents claimed that Right Bite had merit although barriers such as: resistance from parents and children to purchase healthy options, difficulties associated with serving and preparing fresh food at school, inadequate canteen facilities, and counteracting heavy marketing of unhealthy foods to children impeded implementation. While Right Bite encourages South Australian school children to make better choices through education and support so as to improve their health, well-being and academic performance, more support must be provided to schools for greater uptake and implementation of policy.

A review of methods and tools to assess the implementation of government policies to create healthy food environments for preventing obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases

“…Fourteen studies focused specifically at national or federal-level policy [ 35 , 36 , 45 , 47 , 49 , 52 , 55 , 59 , 60 , 68 , 71 , 74 , 76 , 79 ], seven focused at state level [ 33 , 53 , 73 , 77 , 78 , 80 , 81 ] and five focused at subnational level, i.e. provincial [ 43 ], county [ 70 ], district [ 72 ] and local [ 69 , 75 ] levels.…”

“…School was the most targeted setting to assess the policy implementation process (61 %) [ 33 , 35 , 43 , 47 , 52 , 55 , 59 , 60 , 68 , 70 – 74 , 76 , 78 , 81 ] while some studies (18 %) focused on policies in various settings in a single study such as workplaces, schools, hospitals, childcare centres and communities [ 42 , 53 , 62 , 69 , 80 ]. One study examined specifically at community level [ 45 ].…”

“…In several cases, one or more types of qualitative methods were used in one single study. In-depth interviews were most commonly used as primary sources of data [ 33 , 42 , 43 , 45 , 53 , 59 , 68 – 70 , 72 – 75 , 78 – 81 ]. Either policy implementers or both policy implementers and other relevant stakeholders were often recruited as informants for in-depth and focus group interviews.…”

Identifying opportunities to strengthen school food environments in the Pacific: a case study in Samoa

“…In addition, there is evidence that school food policies that are underpinned by a clear system of food classi cation, including speci c examples of compliant and non-compliant products (19,76) can substantially reduce misinterpretation. Moreover, the degree to which nutrition literacy hinders the widespread adoption of school food policies, and the scale of the NCD crisis in countries like Samoa, suggests that governments should consider how to address nutrition literacy more systemically (77), for instance through scaling up the volume of mandatory nutrition curriculum (78) or by offering accredited training options for food vendors and committee members (67,79).…”

Identifying opportunities to strengthen school food environments in the Pacific: a case study in Samoa

“…In addition, there is evidence that school food policies that are underpinned by a clear system of food classification, including specific examples of compliant and non-compliant products (17,76) can substantially reduce misinterpretation. Moreover, the degree to which nutrition literacy hinders the widespread adoption of school food policies, and the scale of the NCD crisis in countries like Samoa, suggests that governments should consider how to address nutrition literacy more systemically (77), for instance through scaling up the volume of mandatory nutrition curriculum (78) or by offering accredited training options for food vendors and committee members (65,79).…”