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Targeting childhood obesity through primary schools: reviewing alignment amongst English policies for physical activity and healthy eating

Chapman, P.; Lindsey, I.; Dodd-Reynolds, C.; Oliver, E.; Summerbell, C.

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Authors

P. Chapman

E. Oliver

C. Summerbell



Abstract

Introduction: Primary schools have been widely identified as a key site to tackle childhood obesity. While specific school-based interventions have been widely researched, there is an absence of collective analysis of national policies targeting childhood obesity and its determinants in primary schools. Therefore, this narrative review of English policy documentation from 2010 to 2017 examines the extent of alignment across governmental aspirations and implementation approaches towards childhood obesity, physical activity and healthy eating. Methods and analytic framework: Using Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review methodology, 43 relevant policy documents were identified. From these documents, statements of policy aspirations were coded according to the different levels of the socio-ecological model (SEM). Information on policy implementation was coded according to Hood’s “NATO” taxonomy of “Nodality”, “Authority”, “Treasure” and “Organisation” tools which governments can utilise to implement policy. Findings: Common articulations of aspirations to address recognised problems of childhood obesity were identified across policy documents, with the need for multi-level action articulated more clearly for healthy eating than physical activity. The government’s signature Childhood Obesity Plan published in 2016 was an isolated example of a policy document that encompassed aspirations across all SEM levels, but still replicated a wider trend in which only aspirations for individual-level behaviours were articulated with precision. Policy documents evidenced uses of information dissemination, funding, organisational direction and, less prominently, governmental authority to drive policy implementation in primary schools. However, the use of these policy tools was often vaguely specified and disjointed both across different tools and between physical activity and healthy eating policies. Conclusion: High-level aspirations in national policy documents align across the dual approach of tackling childhood obesity by enhancing physical activity and healthy eating. However, the effectiveness of policies is likely constrained by limited alignment across different levels of the SEM and across different policy implementation tools.

Citation

Chapman, P., Lindsey, I., Dodd-Reynolds, C., Oliver, E., & Summerbell, C. (2020). Targeting childhood obesity through primary schools: reviewing alignment amongst English policies for physical activity and healthy eating. Child and Adolescent Obesity, 3(1), 20-41. https://doi.org/10.1080/2574254x.2020.1740548

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 1, 2020
Online Publication Date Apr 1, 2020
Publication Date 2020
Deposit Date Mar 16, 2020
Publicly Available Date Apr 2, 2020
Journal Child and adolescent obesity.
Electronic ISSN 2574-254X
Publisher Taylor and Francis Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 3
Issue 1
Pages 20-41
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/2574254x.2020.1740548
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1275242

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Published Journal Article (1.8 Mb)
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Publisher Licence URL
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Copyright Statement
© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly cited.






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