None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The adoption of healthy school canteen policies has been recommended as a strategy to prevent excessive weight gain. A number of jurisdictions in Australia and internationally have policies requiring school adoption of healthy canteen strategies. Despite this, internationally, schools have failed to adopt healthy canteen practices consistent with such policies. If the benefits of obesity prevention initiatives are to be realised, policies recommended to prevent overweight must be implemented. However, research measuring the effectiveness of interventions to facilitate widespread implementation of health promoting policies and practices in schools is limited. The aim of the research is to assess the effectiveness of a multi-component intervention intervention in increasing canteen practices consistent with the mandatory NSW government healthy canteen policy (‘Fresh Tastes @ School’). The study will employ a randomised trial design. Sixty-three primary schools will be randomised to receive a 9 month intervention, or a no intervention comparison group. The intervention will facilitate implementation of the policy through encouraging executive support and endorsement, training, resources, monitoring and feedback, communication strategies and ongoing telephone support. The effectiveness of the intervention will be determined by comparing post intervention differences between canteen menus audited by Dietitians in: i) the proportion of schools with a canteen menu containing foods or beverages restricted (‘red’ items) under the policy and; ii) the proportion of schools where healthy canteen items (‘green’) represent the majority (>50%) of products listed on the menu as recommended by the policy.
Interventions
The intervention will include the following evidence based components over a 9-month period (three school terms):
1. Executive support– The Principal will be encouraged to communicate their support for the healthy canteen intervention to Canteen Managers and P&C group by encouraging their participation in a professional development workshop and consent to receiving ongoing support.
2. Consensus processes–Consensus processes with the Canteen Manager and canteen staff will be conducted to reach a
The intervention will include the following evidence based components over a 9-month period (three school terms): 1. Executive support– The Principal will be encouraged to communicate their support for the healthy canteen intervention to Canteen Managers and P&C group by encouraging their participation in a professional development workshop and consent to receiving ongoing support. 2. Consensus processes–Consensus processes with the Canteen Manager and canteen staff will be conducted to reach agreement regarding the implementation of the healthy canteen strategy. Support staff will assist Canteen Managers to develop a local Canteen Action Plan (CAP) to co-ordinate implementation tasks. . 3. Staff training – A one day (5 hour) training workshop will be provided to Canteen Managers and parent representatives will provide education and skill development in nutrition, canteen stock and financial management, pricing and promotion, and change management. Training will combine didactic and interactive components including opportunities for self-assessment, role play and facilitator provided feedback. The training will be facilitated by Dietitians experienced in delivering this training to canteen managers. 4. Tools and resources - Printed instructional materials, sample policies/menus, planning templates, pricing guides, product lists of policy compliant menu items, supplier contacts and menu assessment feedback will be provided to all school Canteen Managers. Such resources will be sourced from the Department of Education and Communities, Nutrition Australia, and the Healthy Kids Association. 5. On-going support– Following training, canteen managers will receive two support contacts per school term (via email, telephone, text message or in person) for 9 months to continue to help them with assessing and categorising menu item and pricing and promotion strategies. These contacts will also be used to encourage canteen managers to review progress, discuss deficits identified from self-monitoring; and facilitate problem solving to policy implementation. 6. Recognition- Schools assessed during intervention period as compliant with the canteen policy will be sent a congratulatory letter and telephoned from the Project Co-ordinator. Menu compliant schools will also be promoted to other intervention schools using marketing strategies (see below). 7. Performance monitoring and feedback– two menu reviews will be used to compile written feedback report to the Canteen Manager, P&C and School Principal. The reports will include graphs comparing progress toward implementation of the healthy canteens policy Verbal feedback and discussion of feedback reports will also occur during telephone support calls. 8. Marketing strategies –Principals and parent groups will receive a letter overviewing the support available and encouraging their participation in the program. Project newsletters will be used to communicate key messages and case study successful implementation approaches. Schools will be encouraged to communicate the need for implementation to staff, parents and students via usual communication strategies.
Sponsors
Hunter New England Local Health District Population Health
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
0 to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
A random selection of Government and Catholic primary schools within the Hunter New England Local Health District of NSW, with a school canteen, will be invited to participate.
Exclusion criteria
Schools from the Australian Independent Schools Association will be ineligible as implementation of the Fresh Tastes @ School canteen policy is not mandated for such schools. Schools with secondary students (central schools), catering exclusively for children requiring specialist care, and schools without a canteen will also be ineligible. Lastly, schools currently implementing obesity prevention policies and practices to a high standard, as defined by local health service school environment monitoring data at baseline will be excluded.
Outcome results
None listed