Page 134 - ON THE WAY TO HEALTHIER SCHOOL CANTEENS - Irma Evenhuis

Chapter 7. General Discussion
healthier food environments, including healthier school canteens, in their National Prevention Agreement (2018) [77]. This has induced local governments to create a local prevention plan. These local plans create opportunities to include a healthy environment in all policies they develop and to improve the interaction between local organisations and citizens. Within this process, incorporating the lessons learned from complex community initiatives like the JOGG-Approach (Young People at a Healthy Weight) [82] or the Amsterdam Healthy Weight Programme [229] and engaging communities via for example citizen science is recommended [230]. Also, school canteen advisors, or Community Health Services are able to facilitate and support between different local food initiatives and organisations within governments.
In the current time of fake news and non-evidence-based advices, I recommend that an independent organisation continues to be the coordinator of the Guidelines for Healthier Canteens and the executor of the Healthy School Canteen Programme. Research finds that a credible source of the implementation tools regarding healthy school food policy is important [182]. Currently, as a result of the support by the national government, the Healthy School Canteen Programme of the Netherlands Nutrition Centre is able to assist schools, caterers and Community Health Services towards healthier canteens for free. This nationwide support for an independent, non-profit organisations, should be retained to be able to increase and sustain a healthy environment for youth.
General conclusion
The performed studies show that the support in implementation of the Guidelines for Healthier Canteens supported stakeholders adequately and resulted into healthier school canteens. Still, the effects of a healthier school canteen on student purchases and consumption remain unclear. The advisory meeting and report, the communication materials, the students’ fact sheet and the Canteen Scan have been particularly evaluated as positive.
The combination of and collaboration with research, policy and practice from the start and throughout this study resulted in feasible, evidence-based tools, and a broad feeling of ownership among stakeholders. This mixture of tools can be tailored to each school, and stakeholders can choose if and when they use a tool. This was evaluated positive. The gained results are applicable for research as well as policy and practice.
Meanwhile, the insights acquired to refine the tools have been implemented by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. It is likely that the needs of stakeholders are going to change in the future, for example, when schools use the guidelines for a longer period, or if the guidelines are adapted. Reviewing the tools regularly to evaluate whether they still align with the (changing) needs of practice is advised.
A healthy school canteen is an essential part of a healthy food environment for youth. However, stimulating healthy dietary behaviour among youth requires to be combined with nutritional education and healthy food environments inside and around schools.
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