title: A qualitative exploration of stakeholder perspectives on a school-based multi-component health promotion nutrition programme.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Food for Fitness is an on-going multi-component health promotion programme, delivered in primary and secondary schools by community nutrition assistants. The programme uses nutritional interventions aimed at promoting healthier eating practices for children. This service evaluation investigated the receipt and delivery of the programme, as perceived by local stakeholders who had experienced and administered the service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out with three key stakeholder groups: health professionals (n = 9), school teachers (n = 10) and senior health officials (n = 3). Qualitative data were transcribed verbatim and received thematic analysis with deductive and inductive processes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stakeholders reported that the programme contributed to the development of food education and healthy-eating practices of children in the local area. Stakeholders considered that the main concern was the limited capacity and size of the service. They described problems with long-term sustainability in supporting schools with maintaining nutritional interventions, highlighting issues regarding contact, planning and organisation of several interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the service evaluation inform service management, organisation and ground-level delivery. The use of stakeholder opinion provided contextualised information on the factors that impact on the implementation of the programme. The richness of the qualitative results can guide future planning and provision for similar health promotion nutrition programmes delivered in the school environment.
authors: School of Sport, Coaching & Exercise Science, Faculty of Health, Life and Social Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK. gmiddleton@lincoln.ac.uk
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Middleton
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Keegan
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Henderson
mesh_terms: D004032:Diet; D005178:Faculty; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D052756:Nutritional Sciences; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services