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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Suzanne SpenceORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ. Introduction: The school food system varies widely between schools and across the UK. There is a need to understand evidence gaps in school food research to allow the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and interventions to support children's healthy eating at school. This study aimed to conduct a priority setting exercise to co-produce research priorities in relation to the UK school food system. Methods: The James Lind Alliance process informed this priority setting exercise; all key steps engaged a wide range of UK school food stakeholders (including teachers, parents, principals, school governors, policymakers, caterers). An initial online stakeholder survey identified perceived research priorities. In a second survey, stakeholders were asked to rank these priorities. Lastly, an online priority setting workshop with stakeholders elicited the most important research priorities. Results In 2021, school food stakeholders (n=1280) completed the first survey, from which 136 research priorities were identified. In the second survey, participants (n=107) ranked these research priorities regarding their importance. Lastly, 30 workshop participants discussed and reached consensus on the research priorities. After final refinement by the research team, 18 priorities resulted, with the top 10 being related to the provision of free school meals (effectiveness of cost-effectiveness of different levels of eligibility, including universal provision), implementation of policy (including improving uptake) and food standards, issues around procurement, leadership, inequalities, social norms, the eating environment, food culture throughout the school setting and healthy eating. Conclusion: The top 10 research priorities were elicited through a rigorous approach, including a wide range of stakeholders across the UK. These should be considered by policymakers, researchers and others to inform research, evidence-based policy development and, ultimately, improve the UK school food system.
Author(s): Schliemann D, Spence S, O'Kane N, Chiang CC, Olgacher D, McKinley MC, Woodside JV
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: BMJ Open
Year: 2024
Volume: 14
Issue: 3
Online publication date: 14/03/2024
Acceptance date: 28/02/2024
Date deposited: 27/03/2025
ISSN (print): 2044-6055
ISSN (electronic): 2044-6055
Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
URL: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081400
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081400
Data Access Statement: Data are available on reasonable request. We are happy to share the original survey on request.
PubMed id: 38485482
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