scholarly journals Facilitators and Barriers to Implementing Healthy School Canteen Intervention among Malaysian Adolescents: A Qualitative Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 3078
Author(s):  
Nurul Ain Azizan ◽  
Angeliki Papadaki ◽  
Tin Tin Su ◽  
Muhammad Yazid Jalaludin ◽  
Shooka Mohammadi ◽  
...  

This study evaluated implementing a school-based intervention to promote healthier dietary habits in the school environment among Malaysian adolescents using qualitative methods. This qualitative study was conducted in four secondary schools in Perak and Selangor (two urban and two rural schools) that received the intervention (either training or training and food subsidy). A total of eight focus groups (68 students aged 15 years old) and 16 in-depth interviews were conducted with canteen operators, school convenience shop operators, school teachers and school principals in each school. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data to identify suitable themes. We found several initiatives and changes by the schools’ stakeholders to change to a healthy school canteen programme. The stakeholders also noticed the students’ food preferences that influence healthy food intake in canteens and convenience shops. The food vendors and school administrators also found that subsidising healthy meals might encourage healthy eating. Among barriers to implementing healthy school initiatives were the student’s perception of healthy food and their eating habits, which also affect the food vendors’ profit if they want to implement a healthy canteen. The school-based intervention has the potential to promotes healthier eating among school adolescents. Continuous training and monitoring of canteen operators and convenience shops are needed, including building partnerships and educating the students on healthy eating to cultivate healthy eating habits.

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shooka Mohammadi ◽  
Tin Tin Su ◽  
Angeliki Papadaki ◽  
Muhammad Yazid Jalaludin ◽  
Maznah Dahlui ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: To conduct formative research using qualitative methods among stakeholders of secondary schools to explore their perceptions, barriers and facilitators related to healthy eating and physical activity (PA) among Malaysian adolescents. Design: A qualitative study involving eight focus groups and twelve in-depth interviews. Focus groups and interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data. Setting: Four secondary schools in Perak and Selangor states (two urban and two rural schools) in Malaysia. Participants: Focus groups were conducted with seventy-six adolescents aged 13–14 years, and in-depth interviews were conducted with four headmasters, four PA education teachers and four food canteen operators. Results: Stakeholders thought that adolescents’ misperceptions, limited availability of healthy options, unhealthy food preferences and affordability were important challenges preventing healthy eating at school. Low-quality physical education (PE) classes, limited adolescent participation and teachers’ commitment during lessons were perceived as barriers to adolescents being active at school. Affordability was the main challenge for adolescents from rural schools. Stakeholders perceived that a future school-based intervention should improve the availability and subsidies for healthy foods, provide health education/training for both adolescents and PE teachers, enhance active adolescent participation in PE and develop social support mechanisms to facilitate engagement with PA. Conclusions: These findings provide important insights into developing school-based lifestyle interventions to improve healthy eating and strengthening PA of Malaysian adolescents.


Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Sogari ◽  
Catalina Velez-Argumedo ◽  
Miguel Gómez ◽  
Cristina Mora

Overweightness and obesity rates have increased dramatically over the past few decades and they represent a health epidemic in the United States (US). Unhealthy dietary habits are among the factors that can have adverse effects on weight status in young adulthood. The purpose of this explorative study was to use a qualitative research design to analyze the factors (barriers and enablers) that US college students perceived as influencing healthy eating behaviors. A group of Cornell University students (n = 35) participated in six semi-structured focus groups. A qualitative software, CAQDAS Nvivo11 Plus, was used to create codes that categorized the group discussions while using an Ecological Model. Common barriers to healthy eating were time constraints, unhealthy snacking, convenience high-calorie food, stress, high prices of healthy food, and easy access to junk food. Conversely, enablers to healthy behavior were improved food knowledge and education, meal planning, involvement in food preparation, and being physically active. Parental food behavior and friends’ social pressure were considered to have both positive and negative influences on individual eating habits. The study highlighted the importance of consulting college students when developing healthy eating interventions across the campus (e.g., labeling healthy food options and information campaigns) and considering individual-level factors and socio-ecological aspects in the analysis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shooka Mohammadi ◽  
Tin Tin Su ◽  
Muhammad Yazid Jalaludin ◽  
Maznah Dahlui ◽  
Mohd Nahar Azmi Mohamed ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danilo C. Noronha ◽  
Monique I. A. F. Santos ◽  
Adrianny A. Santos ◽  
Lizia G. A. Corrente ◽  
Rúbia K. N. Fernandes ◽  
...  

Nutrition education is one of the factors that may help to promote behavior change and therefore may improve the dietary habits of adolescent soccer players. However, information about the relationship between nutrition knowledge (NK) and the dietary behavior of these athletes is scarce. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the eating habits of adolescent soccer players and analyse the correlations among dietary intake and NK. Seventy-three Brazilian adolescent soccer players (aged 14–19 years), from four professional clubs, underwent anthropometric evaluation and completed 3-day food records. Misreporting of energy intake was evaluated and the dietary intake data were energy-adjusted and compared with recommendations for athletes and dietary reference intakes. The athletes also answered a questionnaire about barriers for healthy eating and a nutrition knowledge test divided into three sections: Basic Nutrition Knowledge (BNK), Sports Nutrition Knowledge (SNK), and Food Pyramid Nutrition Knowledge (FPNK). The participants showed a low NK (54.6%) and an inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables, dairy, carbohydrates, and micronutrients. A positive correlation was found between the ingestion of phosphorus and FPNK as well as among calcium and both SNK and Total NK (p<0.05). Sodium intake was negatively correlated with all categories of the NK test (p<0.05). The adolescents reported that the principal barriers for adopting a healthy diet were the lack of willpower and a busy lifestyle. In this context, nutrition education is recommended and should also provide practicable healthy eating goals according to athletes´ lifestyle as well as target motivational barriers to increase adherence.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2667
Author(s):  
Barbara Lohse ◽  
Kathryn Faulring ◽  
Diane C. Mitchell ◽  
Leslie Cunningham-Sabo

Public health guidelines advise eating regular meals without defining “regular.” This study constructed a meaning for “regular” meals congruent with dietary quality. Parents of 4th grade youth in a school-based intervention (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02491294) completed three, ASA24 online 24-h dietary recalls. Differences in time of intake across days for breakfasts, lunches, dinners were categorized with consistency denoted as always, often/sometimes or rarely/never and assigned values of 3, 2 or 1, respectively. Meal-specific values were summed to form mealtime regularity scores (mReg) ranging from 3 (low) to 9. Healthy eating index (HEI) scores were compared to mReg controlling for weekday/weekend recall pattern. Linear regression predicted HEI scores from mReg. Parents (n = 142) were non-Hispanic white (92%), female (88%) and educated (73%). One mReg version, mReg1 was significantly associated with total HEI, total fruit, whole fruit, tended to correlate with total protein, seafood/plant protein subcomponents. mReg1 predicted total HEI (p = 0.001) and was inversely related to BMI (p = 0.04). A score of three (always) was awarded to breakfasts, lunches or dinners with day-to-day differences of 0–60 min; also, lunches/dinners with one interval of 60–120 min when two meals were ≤60 min apart. More rigid mReg versions were not associated with dietary quality.


2018 ◽  
Vol 86 ◽  
pp. 151-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wyatt Bishop ◽  
Claudia Chavarin ◽  
Hildy A. Gonzales ◽  
Jennifer Iparraguirre ◽  
Jovy Mann ◽  
...  

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazi Enamul Hoque ◽  
Megat Ahmad Kamaluddin ◽  
Ahmad Zabidi Abdul Razak ◽  
Afiq Athari Abdul Wahid

BackgroundOverweight and obesity have increased rapidly in incidence to become a global issue today. Overweight and obesity problems are significantly linked to unhealthy dietary patterns, physical inactivity and misperception of body image. This study aimed to determine whether Malaysian children build healthy eating habits from childhood.MethodsA survey on eating habits was conducted among primary school students in standards 4 to 6 in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The findings of the study were reported in the form of descriptive statistics involving frequencies and percentages. Data from 400 respondents were analyzed.ResultsOur findings showed that the students understood the definition of healthy food and the types of food that are considered healthy. Although the students knew that food such as deep-fried drumsticks and hamburgers contain a high amount of saturated fat and cholesterol, these foods were still consumed by them. There was also a high consumption of foods that are fried and contain sugar, salt and saturated fat. In choosing food, two major factors contributed to the students’ decisions: cleanliness (65.8%) and the preference of their parents (12.3%).DiscussionOur findings indicate that by implementing the Integrated School Health Program (ISHP) properly, students’ eating habits can be improved by creating a school with a healthy environment.


2011 ◽  
Vol 65 (10) ◽  
pp. 896-901 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Llargues ◽  
R. Franco ◽  
A. Recasens ◽  
A. Nadal ◽  
M. Vila ◽  
...  

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