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Food environment intervention improves food knowledge, wellbeing and dietary habits in primary school children: Project Daire, a randomised-controlled, factorial design cluster trial

Equity Focus

This study targeted the vulnerable group of children, specifically to improve the food knowledge and dietary habits of children (6–7 years and 10–11 years) within a school environment through education.  

Case Summary

Daire project aimed to improve children’s health-related quality of life,  wellbeing, food knowledge and dietary habits via two multi-component interventions. Primary schools in Northern Ireland were randomised to one of four 6-month intervention arms: i) ‘Nourish’, ii) ‘Engage’, iii) ‘Nourish’ and ‘Engage’ and iv) Control (Delayed). ‘Nourish’ was an intervention aiming to alter the whole-school food environment, provide food-related experiences and exposure to locally produced foods. ‘Engage’ was an age-appropriate, cross-curricular educational intervention on food, agriculture, nutrition science and related careers. Fifteen schools from areas of varying socio-economic status participated in the randomised trial. Total Difficulties Score improved in all pupils (6–7 and 10–11 year old pupils) who received the ‘Nourish’ intervention compared with those that did not.

Lessons Learned

• Improvements in childhood emotional and behavioural wellbeing, dietary intake, knowledge about food, cooking skills and willingness to try new foods were associated with the ‘Nourish’ whole-school food environment intervention. Exploration of the sustainability and long-term  effectiveness of such whole-school food interventions should be conducted.

LINK TO CASE STUDY