title: Best Strategies to Improve School-leavers' Knowledge of Nutrition and Food Systems: Views from Experts in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The research to date does not present an articulated approach to ensure nutrition and food systems education is systematically implemented within schools. This paper aimed to investigate food experts' views of the best strategies to improve school-leavers' knowledge of nutrition and food systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this qualitative study, 28 Iranian food and nutrition experts from four major provinces (Tehran, Fars, Isfahan, and Gilan) were selected and agreed to be interviewed. Required data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face, or telephone interviews and were analyzed thematically using NVivo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The experts' suggested strategies to improve Iranian school-leavers' knowledge of nutrition and food systems fell into three key themes: Policy, education processes, and supportive environments. Together they formed an overarching theme of a multileveled system approach for transferring knowledge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Development of a scaffolded education program could assist curriculum developers and policy makers to assess and update current nutrition and food systems education programs in schools. Insights gained about education initiatives in one country such as Iran can provide an important impetus to support nutrition and food system education more widely.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Society, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Sanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sadegholvad
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Society, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yeatman
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nasrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Omidvar
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Society, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne-Maree
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Parrish
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Worsley
keywords: Education strategies; Iran; food systems; knowledge; nutrition; school-leavers