The EPIC Food Study (Enhancing Policy In sChool food) is working with people connected to secondary schools to understand what improvements can be made to school food policy and systems in England. The research is funded by the National Institute for Health Research.
EPIC study recruitment video
We are a team of researchers with an interest in improving children’s diets. We have recently carried out research into the food on offer at secondary schools as part of the FUEL study. We looked at how schools followed the national policies for healthy eating. We are now conducting a new study – The EPIC Food Study - to use these findings to enhance and adapt national school food policy.
We plan to meet with different groups of people connected to schools. This will include school students, parents, school staff and others working in education or school food organisations. We will encourage these groups to think about their own experiences of school food. We will also ask what they think are the main problems with school food policy. We will ask them to think about possible solutions. We will then work with policy makers in government to identify ways to improve national school food policy.
We have recently carried out research into the food on offer at secondary schools. We looked at how they followed the national policies for healthy eating. The aim of the EPIC study is to share our findings from this study with different groups of people connected to schools. This will include school students, parents, and school staff. We will encourage these groups to think about their own experiences of school food. We will also ask what they think are the main problems with school food policy. We will ask them to think about possible solutions. We will then work with policy makers in government to identify ways to improve national school food policy.
Why is this research needed?
· Nearly a third of adolescents have excess weight.
· Almost half of 15 year olds have dental caries.
· Excess sugar consumption is a major contributor to increased energy intake, obesity, and poor dental health.
· Adolescents aged 11-18 years in the UK consume three times the recommended amount of their total energy intake from free sugars.
· Pupils consume a large proportion of their daily dietary intake within the school day.
· School food standards are in place to ensure that food provided in school contributes to a healthy and balanced diet.
· However, secondary schools find it challenging to put some of these school food standards in place.