The planning system and fast food outlets in London: lessons for health promotion practice

This article considers how health promotion can use planning as a tool to enhance healthy eating choices. It draws on research in relation to the availability and concentration of fast food outlets in a London borough. Current public health policy is confining planning to local settings within a narrow framework drawing on discourses from social psychology and libertarian economics. Policy is focusing on behaviour change, voluntary agreements and devolution of the public health function to local authorities. Such a framework presents barriers to effective equity-based health promotion. A social determinant-based health pro-motion strategy would be consistent with a national regulatory infrastructure supporting planning

Transactions costs in rural decision-making: The cases of funding and monitoring in rural development in England

Public domain decisions in rural England have become more complex as the number of stakeholders having a say in them has increased. Transactions costs can be used to explore this increasing complexity. The size and distribution of these costs are higher in rural areas. Grouping transactions costs into four - organizations, belief systems, knowledge and information, and institutions - two of the latter are evaluated empirically: growth in the bid culture, and monitoring and evaluation. Amongst 65 Agents of Rural Governance (ARGs) in Gloucestershire, both were found to be increasing over time, but those relating to finance were a greater burden than those of monitoring: the latter can improve ARG performance. Increasing transactions costs in rural decision-making appears to be at variance with ambitions of achieving 'smaller government' through, for example, the Big Society. Smaller government is likely to be shifting the incidence of these costs, rather than reducing them. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Secondary school pupils' food choices around schools in a London borough: Fast food and walls of crisps

The objective was to observe and document food behaviours of secondary school pupils from schools in a London borough. The research design combined a number of methods which included geographic information system (GIS) mapping of food outlets around three schools, systemised observations of food purchasing in those outlets before, during and after school, and focus groups conducted with pupils of those schools to gather their views in respect to those food choices.Results are summarised under the five 'A's of Access, Availability, Affordability and Acceptability & Attitudes:. Access in that there were concentrations of food outlets around the schools. The majority of pupil food purchases were from newsagents, small local shops and supermarkets of chocolate, crisps (potato chips), fizzy drinks and energy drinks. Availability of fast food and unhealthy options were a feature of the streets surrounding the schools, with 200 m the optimal distance pupils were prepared to walk from and back to school at lunchtime.Affordability was ensured by the use of a consumer mentality and pupils sought out value for money offers; group purchasing of 'two for one' type offers encouraged this trend. Pupils reported healthy items on sale in school as expensive, and also that food was often sold in smaller portion sizes than that available from external food outlets.Acceptability and Attitudes, in that school food was not seen as 'cool', queuing for school food was not acceptable but queuing for food from takeaways was not viewed negatively; for younger pupils energy drinks were 'cool'.In conclusion, pupils recognised that school food was healthier but provided several reasons for not eating in school related to the five 'A's above

Primary School Food Survey, 2009

<p>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</p>From September 2008, all primary schools in England were required by law to meet the new food-based and nutrient-based standards for school food provision. The School Food Trust subsequently carried out a survey in England to assess the impact of the standards on catering provision and food selection and consumption by pupils eating a school lunch. In addition, the food consumption of pupils eating packed lunches was evaluated. Fieldworkers recorded the number of portions and portion weights of food served at lunchtime, the food choices of pupils and the weight of any food not eaten. Foods from packed lunches were weighed prior to consumption and leftover weights were recorded. Data was coded by nutritionists using the School Food Trust's version of the Food Standards Agency Nutrient Databank. Food data were recorded by food name and food code and with an associated nutrient profile.<br> <br> A nationally representative sample of 139 primary schools in England took part in the survey. Information on food provision at lunchtime was collected, along with food selection and consumption details of pupils aged 4-12 years having school lunches and eating packed lunches respectively. Questionnaires were also distributed to head teachers and caterers. The data were collected between February and April 2009, i.e. 6-8 months after the expectation that all primary schools catering provision would be fully compliant with the new standards for school food. The survey found that school lunches are substantially much healthier than when they were last surveyed in 2005, and that they were generally more healthy than packed lunches. Further information may be found on the <a href="www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk" title="School Food Trust">School Food Trust</a> website.<br> <br><B>Main Topics</B>:<br>Food provided and consumed in primary schools; packed lunches; food weight and nutrient content; school food provision, arrangements and catering management

Nutritional Standards for School Lunches and Other School Food

In September 2005 the Government received recommendations fromthe School Meals Review Panel (SMRP) on school lunches and on a number of wider issues concerning food in schools. In response to that report Turning the Tables the newly-established School Food Trust (SFT) was commissioned to advise Ministers on standards for food in school other than lunch.The DfES consulted widely on the recommendations of the SMRP andon a more limited basis on the advice of the SFT. Reports on the responses to each of those consultations are available at: www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conresults.cfm?consultationId=1319Having considered responses to those consultations and taken intoaccount the many representations the Department has received on theseissues from a range of stakeholders, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has arrived at final decisions on the standards. These standards will apply to school lunches and other food provided in all local authority maintained schools in England