The co-design of support strategies for sustainable, healthy and affordable food provision in Early Childhood Education settings
Abstract Objective: To co-design support strategies to enable sustainable, healthy, affordable food provision, including waste mitigation practices, in Australian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings. Design: Based on the co-design IDEAS framework (Ideate, DEsign, Assess & Shar...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002477/type/journal_article |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841526489514770432 |
|---|---|
| author | Audrey Elford Alison C Spence Karen J Campbell Margaret Rozman Penelope Love |
| author_facet | Audrey Elford Alison C Spence Karen J Campbell Margaret Rozman Penelope Love |
| author_sort | Audrey Elford |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Abstract
Objective:
To co-design support strategies to enable sustainable, healthy, affordable food provision, including waste mitigation practices, in Australian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings.
Design:
Based on the co-design IDEAS framework (Ideate, DEsign, Assess & Share), this co-design process involved iterative interviews and focus groups with ECEC centre staff and workshops with Nutrition Australia. Interview and workshop themes were coded to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to develop initial prototypes for support strategies that were further developed and refined in focus groups.
Setting:
ECEC with onsite food provision, in Victoria, Australia.
Participants:
ECEC staff and a Victorian Government-funded programme delivered through Nutrition Australia that provides nutrition support to ECEC services.
Results:
ECEC staff interviews (n 17) suggested a lack of knowledge on the topic of sustainable healthy food provision and a need for resources and support for all staff and children. Workshops with Nutrition Australia built on interviews and suggested a focus on lower intensity strategies and a suggestion to embed knowledge-related activities into the children’s curriculum. Focus groups (n 8) further informed co-design of strategies, producing a visual representation of sustainable healthy food provision with supporting tips and a whole-of-centre approach that includes children through a classroom activity.
Conclusions:
The co-designed resources could provide feasible strategies for the adoption of sustainable, healthy and affordable provision practices in the ECEC setting. Involvement of a local government-funded health promotion service provides valuable research-to-practice contribution as well opportunity for scalable dissemination of resources through existing infrastructure.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4a05aec723b5498f843f2aebbde4e838 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-4a05aec723b5498f843f2aebbde4e8382025-01-16T21:47:43ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272025-01-012810.1017/S1368980024002477The co-design of support strategies for sustainable, healthy and affordable food provision in Early Childhood Education settingsAudrey Elford0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8174-0697Alison C Spence1Karen J Campbell2Margaret Rozman3Penelope Love4Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences (SENS), Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, AustraliaInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences (SENS), Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, AustraliaInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences (SENS), Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, AustraliaHealthy Eating Advisory Service, Nutrition Australia, Richmond, VIC, AustraliaInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences (SENS), Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia Abstract Objective: To co-design support strategies to enable sustainable, healthy, affordable food provision, including waste mitigation practices, in Australian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings. Design: Based on the co-design IDEAS framework (Ideate, DEsign, Assess & Share), this co-design process involved iterative interviews and focus groups with ECEC centre staff and workshops with Nutrition Australia. Interview and workshop themes were coded to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to develop initial prototypes for support strategies that were further developed and refined in focus groups. Setting: ECEC with onsite food provision, in Victoria, Australia. Participants: ECEC staff and a Victorian Government-funded programme delivered through Nutrition Australia that provides nutrition support to ECEC services. Results: ECEC staff interviews (n 17) suggested a lack of knowledge on the topic of sustainable healthy food provision and a need for resources and support for all staff and children. Workshops with Nutrition Australia built on interviews and suggested a focus on lower intensity strategies and a suggestion to embed knowledge-related activities into the children’s curriculum. Focus groups (n 8) further informed co-design of strategies, producing a visual representation of sustainable healthy food provision with supporting tips and a whole-of-centre approach that includes children through a classroom activity. Conclusions: The co-designed resources could provide feasible strategies for the adoption of sustainable, healthy and affordable provision practices in the ECEC setting. Involvement of a local government-funded health promotion service provides valuable research-to-practice contribution as well opportunity for scalable dissemination of resources through existing infrastructure. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002477/type/journal_articleSustainable Healthy DietsFood wasteChildcare nutritionChildcare food wasteChildcare food provisionChildcare nutritionEarly childhood nutritionSustainable diets children |
| spellingShingle | Audrey Elford Alison C Spence Karen J Campbell Margaret Rozman Penelope Love The co-design of support strategies for sustainable, healthy and affordable food provision in Early Childhood Education settings Public Health Nutrition Sustainable Healthy Diets Food waste Childcare nutrition Childcare food waste Childcare food provision Childcare nutrition Early childhood nutrition Sustainable diets children |
| title | The co-design of support strategies for sustainable, healthy and affordable food provision in Early Childhood Education settings |
| title_full | The co-design of support strategies for sustainable, healthy and affordable food provision in Early Childhood Education settings |
| title_fullStr | The co-design of support strategies for sustainable, healthy and affordable food provision in Early Childhood Education settings |
| title_full_unstemmed | The co-design of support strategies for sustainable, healthy and affordable food provision in Early Childhood Education settings |
| title_short | The co-design of support strategies for sustainable, healthy and affordable food provision in Early Childhood Education settings |
| title_sort | co design of support strategies for sustainable healthy and affordable food provision in early childhood education settings |
| topic | Sustainable Healthy Diets Food waste Childcare nutrition Childcare food waste Childcare food provision Childcare nutrition Early childhood nutrition Sustainable diets children |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002477/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT audreyelford thecodesignofsupportstrategiesforsustainablehealthyandaffordablefoodprovisioninearlychildhoodeducationsettings AT alisoncspence thecodesignofsupportstrategiesforsustainablehealthyandaffordablefoodprovisioninearlychildhoodeducationsettings AT karenjcampbell thecodesignofsupportstrategiesforsustainablehealthyandaffordablefoodprovisioninearlychildhoodeducationsettings AT margaretrozman thecodesignofsupportstrategiesforsustainablehealthyandaffordablefoodprovisioninearlychildhoodeducationsettings AT penelopelove thecodesignofsupportstrategiesforsustainablehealthyandaffordablefoodprovisioninearlychildhoodeducationsettings AT audreyelford codesignofsupportstrategiesforsustainablehealthyandaffordablefoodprovisioninearlychildhoodeducationsettings AT alisoncspence codesignofsupportstrategiesforsustainablehealthyandaffordablefoodprovisioninearlychildhoodeducationsettings AT karenjcampbell codesignofsupportstrategiesforsustainablehealthyandaffordablefoodprovisioninearlychildhoodeducationsettings AT margaretrozman codesignofsupportstrategiesforsustainablehealthyandaffordablefoodprovisioninearlychildhoodeducationsettings AT penelopelove codesignofsupportstrategiesforsustainablehealthyandaffordablefoodprovisioninearlychildhoodeducationsettings |