Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40133859›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Determinants, behaviour change techniques and pedagogical approaches used in secondary school-based food and nutrition programmes: a qualitative study of the SWITCH project.

Anouk Mesch, Madelief Engels, Sanne Raghoebar, Laura H H Winkens, Judith Gulikers, Renate Wesselink, Annemien Haveman-Nies

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Anouk MeschWageningen University & Research, Education & Learning Sciences, Wageningen, the Netherlands. anouk.mesch@wur.nl.
Madelief EngelsWageningen University & Research, Consumption & Healthy Lifestyles, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Sanne RaghoebarWageningen University & Research, Consumption & Healthy Lifestyles, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Laura H H WinkensWageningen University & Research, Consumption & Healthy Lifestyles, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Judith GulikersWageningen University & Research, Education & Learning Sciences, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Renate WesselinkWageningen University & Research, Education & Learning Sciences, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Annemien Haveman-NiesWageningen University & Research, Consumption & Healthy Lifestyles, Wageningen, the Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFood and nutrition programmes at secondary schools have the potential to improve public and planetary health, as they target a wide range of adolescents. Nevertheless, it is currently unclear what mechanisms are underlying such educational interventions in order to aim for behaviour change. This qualitative study therefore aims to identify determinants and behaviour change techniques (BCTs) incorporated in secondary school-based food and nutrition programmes. Better understanding of determinants and BCTs can identify points of improvements to facilitate long-term dietary behaviour change.

methodsFifteen online semi-structured interviews were conducted between November 2021 and January 2022 with representatives of 14 Dutch programmes, supplemented by a document analysis of scientific and grey literature related to the included programmes (e.g., evaluation reports, teacher manuals). Transcripts and literature were analysed deductively, using the terminology of Mechanisms of Action (MOAs) and the BCT Taxonomy v1, followed by an inductive coding phase.

resultsDeterminants knowledge (n = 13), skills (n = 12), awareness (n = 9), and beliefs about consequences (n = 7) were identified most, as well as BCTs Knowledge transfer (n = 13), Natural consequences (n = 7) and Goals and planning (n = 5). Inductive coding led to the identification of pedagogical approaches that were considered important for successful delivery of programmes, such as the use of activating learning methods.

conclusionsIt seems promising for food and nutrition programmes at secondary schools to expand their current focus beyond knowledge and skills, to also target environmental, social and other essential individual determinants during adolescence which are now under-reported, such as identity. Moreover, our study revealed the importance for programmes to be tailored to adolescents' worldviews and to stimulate adolescents to be actively involved.

Indexed as

Food ServicesHealth PromotionSchool Health ServicesAdolescentFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleNetherlandsQualitative ResearchSchoolsActivating learning methodsAdolescentsDietary behaviourHealthNutrition educationSustainability

Identifiers

PMID40133859
PMCPMC11934769

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.