Co-creation and implementation of a healthy snacks policy in primary schools: data from Sintra Grows Healthy

Abstract

Policy interventions in the school food environment can improve dietary behaviors. However, the literature describing its development and implementation is scarce. This manuscript aims to describe the process of co-creation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of a Healthy Snacks Policy, in the scope of Sintra Grows Healthy intervention. Through a community-based participatory research methodology, the co-creation of the Healthy Snacks Policy comprises six stages: snacks evaluation, feedback sessions, class assemblies, school community assemblies, school cluster policy approval, and process evaluation. Within one school year, a Healthy Snacks Policy was co-created, approved, incorporated in the school regulations, implemented, continuously monitored, and evaluated. Regarding snacks evaluation, 1900 snacks were evaluated at the beginning of the school year and 1079 at the end of the school year. There were three feedback sessions, twenty-two class assemblies, and three school community assemblies. Most teachers perceived that children began to consume healthier snacks (72%); 66% of the children were considered to have started eating healthier; and most families said "yes or sometimes" when asked whether their children started requesting healthier snacks (70%), trying new foods (63%), and noticing improvements in their eating habits (74%). The co-creation of a Healthy Snacks Policy establishes an approach to effectively implement existing guidelines for school food supplies, complying with national priority implementation recommendations.