Creating a culture of healthy food in schools and recreation and sports settings - lessons from the field

Schools, recreation and sport settings are important places to support healthier eating. Although these settings may promote health in the form of physical activity, the healthfulness of their nutrition environment is often neglected in favour of energy-dense fast and processed foods that are quick to prepare, cheap to provide, profitable and valued. We conducted interviews conducted with stakeholders from schools, recreation and sport settings and learned about the challenges and facilitators to improving the nutritional quality of foods provided. While stakeholders recognized that implementing healthy eating policies is 'the right thing to do', this was contradicted by current socio-cultural norms and a need to generate revenue. Wide-spread changes in cultural food norms and consideration of financial costs are needed to foster a supportive nutrition environment in settings where children live, learn and play.