Enabling and barrier factors in the development of elementary and consolidated school nutrition policies on Prince Edward Island

Schools have been identified as promising environments through which to reach large numbers of children and positively influence their health behaviors through nutrition policies. Despite emerging evidence that school nutrition policies are beneficial to the health of children, many schools do not have formal policies. To identify the enabling and barrier factors in the development of nutrition policies in PEI elementary and consolidated schools a document review and a series of interviews were conducted with members of a School Healthy Eating Policy Working Group, principals and teachers who were most involved in developing the policies.

Several key groups and actions enabled the development of nutrition policies. The policy working group members created an understanding between the school world and the nutrition world and drew upon common philosophical ground in order to work together to champion and lead the change process. The principal was identified as an important champion for change at the school level particularly when they were able to develop a critical mass of interest for change. Navigating the change process during policy development required: building a case for change, testing policies in a real world setting, integrating healthy eating within school life, offering support to schools, engaging participants in the process to reduce the uncertainty of the change and acknowledging the need to weigh the cost and benefit of the proposed change. External pressures on schools and available foods varied in the extent to which they at times enabled or challenged policy development. Finally, resource limitations, competing issues and the use of unhealthy food as a reward were identified as the primary barriers in the development of school nutrition policies.