Introduction
Methods
Participants and recruitment
Interview procedure
Data analysis
Results
Parents | Teachers | |
---|---|---|
(n = 19) | (n = 17) | |
Gender | ||
Female | 18 | 12 |
Male | 1 | 5 |
School type | ||
Government | 11 | 13 |
Independent | 5 | 3 |
Catholic | 3 | 1 |
Education | ||
PhD | 2 | – |
Masters/Graduate Diploma | 5 | 6 |
Bachelor | 8 | 11 |
Diploma | 4 | – |
Geolocation | ||
Melbourne (major city) | 17 | 16 |
Regional areas of Victoria | 2 | 1 |
Ethnicity | ||
Australian | 6 | 15 |
Othera | 13 | 2 |
Teaching experience (in years) | ||
0–5 | NA | 6 |
5 to 10 years | 3 | |
10 to 15 years | 3 | |
15–20 | 2 | |
> 20 years | 3 |
Perceived strengths of primary schools in the promotion of healthy eating | |
Theme 1. Food and nutrition education programs | |
Theme 2. Being community based, reaching parents | |
Theme 3. Teachers as role models and the authority of schools | |
Theme 4. Healthy school food environments | |
a. Fruit breaks and providing free fruit | |
b. Rules over food breaks | |
c. Healthy canteens and lunch orders | |
Perceived weaknesses of primary schools in the promotion of healthy eating | |
Theme 1. Limited time | |
Theme 2. Lack of knowledge, expertise and motivation | |
Theme 3. Unhealthy school food environments | |
Theme 4. Cost of food and nutrition education and associated lack of funding |
Perceived strengths of primary schools in the promotion of healthy eating
Food and nutrition education programs
‘I think probably the Stephanie Alexander kitchen [An independent kitchen and garden program offered in some Australian primary schools] is a huge thing. That’s really one of the reasons I enrolled the children at that school because of this program. So, they grow the fruit or food, vegetables, and then they pick it and then they cook it and then they eat. So, it’s right from the start really.’ Parent 18.
‘I think that for my school specifically, being able to give them that cooking program and the gardening that is something that is a massive strength for them, because they learn all these different things and it’s so good for them because they get the chance to do things they might not be able to do at home.’ Teacher 3.
‘They are at their optimal learning. So, for kids to learn something, that can be weaved across six years of learning in primary school. So, we have time, and we have the minds that are ready to learn those things. If you tell this to a 50-year-old, I’m sure they’re going to struggle to try and change their diet and habits. Whereas, a kid, they’re very willing to take on that advice from someone they trust.’ Teacher 13.
‘I think getting in while they’re young, it’s something they can remember. Teach them early so they don’t forget, or they don’t think of as an additional tool. It becomes part of their routine.’ Parent 19.
‘I guess they have the kids for six hours a day, five days a week. They have a captive audience.’ Parent 12.
Being community-based, reaching parents
‘When my little boy starts prep [first year of primary/elementary school] this year, the parents are provided with a brochure about healthy eating and how to prepare lunchbox, a healthy lunch box for the kids, and they give us a lot of ideas for the lunchboxes, which is good. It’s quite scientific and quite a lot of ideas’ Parent 18.
‘I think because primary schools are very community based, I feel like that is one of their strengths. Just that there’s so much buy-in from parents, and parents will come and help out. I guess, communication with parents too, in newsletters etc. Parents take on that advice that’s sent out. And the fact that the parents are more engaged in their students’, education at the time. Not to say that they’re not in high school (secondary school) but just that it’s more of a community feel. So, what is being taught in the classroom is then being replicated at home, or being used at home, I guess.’ Teacher 16.
Teachers as role models and the authority of schools
‘I think modelling it to students can be helpful. So, when they get their snacks out, I’ll get my banana out and start eating it, so they can see, “Oh, he’s eating something healthy,” not overtly saying to them, “Here’s your healthy option,” they’ll just pick up that’ Teacher 1.
‘So, you try and model what is the best way of how I would eat, and I’m hoping you all do that too. If you don’t have any fruit in your lunchbox today, it would be wonderful if you have some tomorrow. So, then the child almost nags their mom. The next day there’ll be a piece of fruit in the lunch box.’ Teacher 2.
‘A parent can nag the children for 10 years, and they won’t ever listen to anything we’re saying. The school says it once, and they believe it straight away’ Parent 19.
‘I guess they’re in a position of authority, just as much as parents are, and I think maybe more so, to be able to impart that type of information on students.’ Parent 12.
Healthy school food environments
‘Last year we organized a partnership with Woolworth’s [A major supermarket chain], and they provided a box of bananas and apples each week so then the kids that didn’t have brain food could then have some. I’ve started bringing in like a bag of apples each week, then for mostly one particular student in my class that doesn’t have a very healthy, balanced diet in his lunch box, and so I’ll just give him an apple at recess. So, I think that would be quite common amongst teachers to bring in some food of their own to share for those kids not bringing healthier.’ Teacher 1.
‘The idea of this crunchy fruit time where there’s a special time where they bond, they have a little bit of a laugh while eating their crunchy fruit, because it has to be some kind of fruits or vegetables, I think that’s a very good example of how it can be done, how it can be promoted.’ Parent 3.
‘ With strengths, it’s nude food. The kids also say that that’s better for the environment which gets them thinking about buying things from the supermarket …. I think they’re trying to make it all the time, but they have it two days a week, where it’s supposed to be only nude food. It makes you more conscious of your choices, you have to be a bit more creative.’ Parent 8.
‘I think if the kids were probably bringing cans of soft drink or something like that to school, they would probably pick up on things like that. They’re very pro water’ Parent 16.
‘For his school compared to others, I think they’re doing a great job. Generally having a canteen at school, I think is a really good thing. So, I was surprised when they introduced that once a week. And from time to time, they do have another day just to provide sushi or something. They are trying to be as healthy as possible.’ Parent 10.
‘I know that their school canteen is amazing. It was once featured in The Age [a daily newspaper in Melbourne] because it’s such a healthy canteen. So, they have a really lovely canteen there; tuck shop. You can buy lunch there or snacks. It’s all homemade. They make salads and homemade pizza, but there’s nothing deep fried or anything like that.’ Parent 15.
Perceived weaknesses of primary schools in the promotion of healthy eating
Limited time
‘I would think that sometimes we had a very overcrowded curriculum and maybe it gets watered down and health and physical ed part of the curriculum is not done as thoroughly as it could be done.’ Teacher 8.
‘They’ve got STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics], library, arts; there are so many other things they have to like fit in’ Parent 13.
Lack of knowledge, expertise and motivation
‘Lack of knowledge within teachers, maybe them not feeling confident. I think that’s all down to resources. I know that whenever I’ve done a cooking activity at school, it’s always I’ll go and buy it all out of my money.’ Teacher 11.
‘I think the limitation is just the lack of knowledge. I don’t know if they know about a healthy lifestyle, healthy eating.’ Parent 3.
‘I don’t think the teachers though are trained as a nutritionist, or a dietitian. They’d have to get a specialist teacher as well in there. I think even the basics, or whether they get somebody in live meetings.’ Teacher 13.
‘You need your leadership to back you. The leadership is a weakness ultimately because they can turn around and go, “That’s not worth the effort,” and they won’t support it as well as what they could be. You might just be on your own.’ Teacher 14.
‘Unless the principal or the teacher is very on board, it’d be very hard to push for a consistent routine.’ Parent 19.
Unhealthy school food environments
‘They ask us to bring just water to drink. That is important, very good, but they sell some of these milk, with flavour, that also has sugar. You can’t bring the milk in your lunchbox, but you can buy it from the canteen. And you can buy the other things that are in plastic. They even encourage only one day to not bring the things in plastic.’ Parent 3.
‘ It’s usually hot dogs and highly processed things and lots of ice creams. So, I would say that would be a weakness, that’s a frustration. We do all this focus in class and in the kitchen and garden, and then it’s sort of like, “Here’s your canteen list, take your pick of all the foods we’re saying “sometimes food”. ’ Teacher 1.
‘To me the lunch order is more of a treat, or a Friday type thing. So my kids have hotdogs or chicken nuggets. My kids are not going to have a salad for lunch. they’ve been there a few years they know what the canteen has, all of a sudden if canteens bring in something, they might be a bit like, “No, I just want my hotdog.”’ Parent 13.
‘Letting kids bring lollies for their birthdays. There’s so many birthdays in classes. And even if they have their birthday on the school holidays, then they have to bring cupcakes on the Friday before the school holiday. You can’t escape any of this. Everyone can bring their own children as much lollies as they want, but do we really need them handed out at school? It’s hard for the kid too, even if they don’t want it. There’s peer pressure, so they will eat it.’ Parent 1.
‘They’ re trying to raise funds by selling brownies. So, I think in that regard, that does have a negative impact. It would be good to be able to replace some of those fundraising events with healthier options. For example, because in a fundraising event, there were rum balls [a sweet treat]. So, instead of rum balls like maybe it could be like protein bars or protein slices.’ Parent 2.
‘We did one a couple of years ago with Krispy Kreme [a doughnut company], and the parents didn’t like it, they didn’t want their kids having that. So, we actually didn’t raise a lot of money, because the parents didn’t want them eating that food. So, that was actually a really good indicator for us that the parents would prefer something healthier.’ Teacher 3.
‘I think some of the weaknesses are when they have a school activity, like if they do a sports day or carnival, it’s always a barbecue, sausages and bread, which I don’t like. I think there should be other alternatives, and I know it’s easy to do, but I think, having an activity where you could have something a bit more nutritious, and the kids could participate, would be great.’ Parent 8.
Cost of FNE and associated lack of funding
‘Government primary schools are always trying to find ways to bring in more money and the funding to do the things that the teachers would really like to do. There is a very big difference between schools across Victoria and across Australia depending on the category of government or independent schools. But there’s also a difference by postcode or suburb.’ Teacher 4.
‘I think it comes down to cost. A lot of independent schools can have a stand-alone program where they can give their students all these different things, but government schools can’t do that.’ Teacher 3.