Diet quality in secondary schoolchildren Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Conditions
Interventions
This observational research consists of two stages. In the first stage, a variety of pupil- and parent-level outcomes will be collected alongside school-level data and factors from 32 schools in North
n=1440 pupils from two sites in Years 7 and 10 (England) and Years 8 and 11 (Northern Ireland)) utilising the variation in the proportion of eligible pupils taking up FSM. Pupil- (dietary intake using
Sponsors
Queen's University Belfast
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: All pupils from the recruited schools and selected classes (i.e. years 7 and 10 in England and years 8 and 11 in Northern Ireland) will be eligible to participate. Their parents and relevant school stakeholders from eligible schools will also be eligible to participate.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Secure and pupil referral units 2. SEN schools 3. Non-English language speaking schools
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetable (FV) intake (n portions) measured using INTAKE24, an online self-completion 24-hour dietary recall tool that is based on the multiple pass method over 24 h. A minimum of one and a maximum of two (non-consecutive) dietary recalls on school days will be undertaken for each pupil participant, with a mean value taken when two recalls are completed. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| A range of other dietary measures (in addition to the primary outcome) will also be assessed through the INTAKE24 tool, administered as described above: 1. Overall diet quality measured using the validated Diet Quality Index for Adolescents (DQI-A) (24 h), which comprises three components (diet quality, diversity and equilibrium) 2. Fruit and vegetable (FV) intake at school 3. Meeting the FV 5-a-day recommendation 4. Intake of total energy (kcal), dietary fibre, free sugars, and other key micro- and macronutrients. Nutrients will be measured as micro/mg/grams and also expressed as a percentage of energy intake for food consumed both at school and over 24 h. 5. Food insecurity data will be collected from parents using an 18-item household food security module and pupils using a 9-item Child Food Security Survey Module (both USDA) 6. Pupil quality of life measured using a Child Health Utility 9D questionnaire 7. School attendance and educational attainment data will be collected at a school level and used as an aggregated outcome. Other data will be collected to allow understanding of both the overall school and the school food environment and context and to address study aims, including analysis of cost-effectiveness and understanding factors that influence school uptake. These data will include: 1. Pupil free school meal (FSM) eligibility and uptake, usual school lunch consumption, other pupil characteristics and money spent on food outside of school measured using pupil and school surveys 2. Child FSM eligibility, child’s usual food choices, FSM perceptions, usual home food practices and expenditure measured using a parent survey 3. Economic analysis: A cost-utility analysis of FSM participation will be undertaken using cost data collected from schools measured using questionnaires and interviews and pupil completion of the Child Health Utility 9D (Paediatric Quality of Life) questionnaire. 4. Barriers and facilitators to FSM uptake and school food systems measu | — |
Countries
England, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Contacts
Public ContactCANTEEN Study Team
Outcome results
None listed