School Nutrition Action Groups and their effect upon secondary school-aged pupils’ food choices

Summary  The aim of this intervention was to affect a change in the food choices of adolescents (11–16 years old) at school by giving pupils more control over the food provision in their school through the establishment of the School Nutrition Action Groups. The study compared food selections and pupils’ views of the catering service between 12 schools implementing School Nutrition Action Groups and 12 control schools. Schools were selected to reflect educational achievement, ethnic mix and gender. Pupils completed a baseline and a 2-year follow-up questionnaire. In addition, data of the sales of food in the school dining rooms in all schools were collected at baseline and follow-up. There was a significant increase in the sales of main meals and snack meals in the intervention schools suggesting that School Nutrition Action Groups can be an effective and relevant way of changing food choices in schools.