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School food environments and the obesity issue: content, structural determinants, and agency in Canadian high schools

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  • Anthony Winson

Abstract

To understand the phenomenon of the rapidly increasing prevalence of overweight and obese children and youth, it is especially important to examine the school food environment, the role of structural factors in shaping this environment, and the resulting nutrition and health outcomes. The paper examines research on school food environments in the US and Canada. It notes evidence of widespread availability of poor nutrition products in both environments and delineates reasons for the situation, and examines initiatives presently being undertaken in a number of jurisdictions in both countries to encourage healthy eating in schools. Empirical data are presented from a pilot study of high schools in the Canadian province of Ontario. The study documents the extent of student purchasing of nutrient-poor foods and beverages, and the structural factors internal and external to the school that appear responsible for the availability of such products in food environments in this critical institutional sphere. The paper also examines positive local initiatives in high schools that seek to encourage healthy eating in schools. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008

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  • Anthony Winson, 2008. "School food environments and the obesity issue: content, structural determinants, and agency in Canadian high schools," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 25(4), pages 499-511, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:25:y:2008:i:4:p:499-511
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-008-9139-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. French, S.A. & Story, M. & Fulkerson, J.A. & Hannan, P., 2004. "An environmental intervention to promote lower-fat food choices in secondary schools: Outcomes of the TACOS study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(9), pages 1507-1512.
    2. Austin, S.B. & Melly, S.J. & Sanchez, B.N. & Patel, A. & Buka, S. & Gortmaker, S.L., 2005. "Clustering of fast-food restaurants around schools: A novel application of spatial statistics to the study of food environments," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(9), pages 1575-1581.
    3. Anthony Winson, 2004. "Bringing political economy into the debate on the obesity epidemic," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 21(4), pages 299-312, January.
    4. Cullen, K.W. & Zakeri, I., 2004. "Fruits, Vegetables, Milk, and Sweetened Beverages Consumption and Access to à la Carte/Snack Bar Meals at School," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(3), pages 463-467.
    5. Kubik, M.Y. & Lytle, L.A. & Hannan, P.J. & Perry, C.L. & Story, M., 2003. "The Association of the School Food Environment with Dietary Behaviors of Young Adolescents," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(7), pages 1168-1173.
    6. Veugelers, P.J. & Fitzgerald, A.L., 2005. "Effectiveness of school programs in preventing childhood obesity: A multilevel comparison," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(3), pages 432-435.
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    1. Neha Rathi & Lynn Riddell & Anthony Worsley, 2018. "Parents’ and Teachers’ Views of Food Environments and Policies in Indian Private Secondary Schools," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-14, July.
    2. Kolawole Olanrewaju Ayodele & Rita Nkiruka Ezeokoli & Ogechukwu Emmanuel Okondu, 2019. "Differential Effectiveness of Lifestyle Modification and Nutrition Education in Enhancing Nutritional Knowledge and Healthy Eating Practices Among Pupils, Nigeria," Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(11), pages 1-84, October.

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