Implementation of Guidelines for Healthier Canteens in Dutch Secondary Schools: A Process Evaluation

Irma J. Evenhuis, Ellis L. Vyth, Lydian Veldhuis, Suzanne M. Jacobs, Jacob C. Seidell and Carry M. Renders
Additional contact information
Irma J. Evenhuis: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Ellis L. Vyth: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Lydian Veldhuis: Netherlands Nutrition Centre, PO Box 85700, 2508 CK The Hague, The Netherlands
Suzanne M. Jacobs: Netherlands Nutrition Centre, PO Box 85700, 2508 CK The Hague, The Netherlands
Jacob C. Seidell: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Carry M. Renders: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 22, 1-14

Abstract: The Netherlands Nutrition Centre has developed ‘Guidelines for Healthier Canteens’. To facilitate their implementation, implementation tools were developed: stakeholders’ questionnaires, the ‘Canteen Scan’ (an online tool to assess product availability/accessibility), a tailored advisory meeting/report, communication materials, establishment of an online community, newsletters, and a fact sheet with students’ wishes/needs. In this quasi-experimental study, we investigated the effect of these tools in secondary schools on (a) factors perceived by stakeholders as affecting implementation; (b) the quality of implementation. For six months, ten intervention schools implemented the guidelines, supported by the developed implementation tools. Ten control schools received the guidelines without support. School managers, caterers, and canteen employees ( n = 33) reported on individual and environmental factors affecting implementation. Implementation quality was determined by dose delivered, dose received, and satisfaction. Stakeholders ( n = 24) in intervention schools scored higher on the determinants’ knowledge and motivation and lower on need for support ( p < 0.05). Dose received (received and read) and satisfaction was highest for the advisory meeting/report (67.9%, 64.3%, 4.17), communication materials (60.7%, 50.0%, 3.98), and fact sheet (80%, 60%, 4.31). Qualitative analyses confirmed these quantitative results. In conclusion, a combination of implementation tools that includes students’ wishes, tailored information/feedback, reminders and examples of healthier products/accessibility supports stakeholders in creating a healthier school canteen.

Keywords: process evaluation; implementation; school canteen; policy; nutrition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/22/4509/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/22/4509/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:22:p:4509-:d:287201

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().