An Exploratory Look at Teacher Perceptions of School Food Environment and Wellness Policies

Abstract

Many factors affect wellness efforts in schools, including food services, health policies, and a lack of systematic support. The purpose of this study was to explore teacher perceptions of the school nutrition environment and assess whether teacher characteristics predicted these perceptions. For this cross-sectional, descriptive research, a 24-item Food and Wellness Questionnaire was designed using items adapted from the Minnesota-based TEENS study and newly developed items with expert panel review and pilot testing. Teachers (n = 345) from all grade levels of a large, suburban school district in the Midwest voluntarily participated. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were carried out. Participants were well distributed among grade levels (elementary = 34.5%, middle school = 30%, high school = 35.5%), with a 37% response rate. Teachers largely agreed with the importance of school food and nutrition guidelines (subscale mean rating = 3.82 of 5), although teaching techniques to implement nutrition education appeared lacking (subscale mean rating = 2.50 of 5). Those with a college-level nutrition course felt more prepared than those without. Useful resources included local policies, public materials, and access to nutrition experts (eg, registered dietitians). Optimizing school food services, resources for teaching about nutrition, and consistent health messages, especially related to grade level, appear to be needed. © 2010, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.