The ‘Voice’ of Key Stakeholders in a School Food and Drink Intervention in Two Secondary Schools in NE England: Findings from a Feasibility Study

Background: Overweight/obesity affects one-third of UK 11&ndash
15-year olds. Individually focussed interventions alone have limited effectiveness. Food choice architecture approaches increase the visibility and convenience of foods to facilitate the choice of &lsquo
healthier&rsquo
foods and reduce &lsquo
unhealthy&rsquo
foods. This qualitative component of a School Food Architecture (SFA) study aimed to determine the perceptions of pupils and staff in relation to school food provision and their perceptions of the intervention. Methods: Pupil focus groups and staff one-to-one interviews. Topic guides were developed from literature and in consultation with a Young Person&rsquo
s Advisory Group. Thematic analysis was applied. Results: Focus group (n = 4) themes included: dining hall practices, determinants of choice, and aspects of health. Interview themes (n = 8) included: catering practices, health awareness, education, and knowledge of intervention. Pupils liked to purchase hand-held, quick to purchase foods potentially limiting the access to fruits and vegetables. Pupils were aware of &lsquo
food choices but would choose other options if available. Conclusions: Schools provide a daily school meal for large numbers of pupils, with time and dining environment constraints. Pupils consume 35&ndash
40% of their daily energy intake at school, therefore interventions enabling healthier eating in school are essential, including making healthier choices readily available and accessible.