Start of the new phase of our study…

Since mid April 2023 we started our new phase, namely the data collection for our LUNCH-BOX-MONITOR project.

What’s next…

We have taken a representative sample from all primary schools in Flanders, Belgium. We asked these schools (all with different backgrounds, location, sizes,…) if they would like to be part of the study and if they would like to help collect concrete data about the healthiness and sustainability of lunchboxes. In this way we can set up targeted actions in a subsequent phase. We now have 25 schools that will participate in the LUNCH-BOX-MONITOR project, whereby at least 1000 children of the fourth and fifth grade of primary school will participate in registering the foods they bring to school. We are going to visit every school with a device to map the lunch boxes and snacks of primary school children. The research institute ILVO made this device for our study. We are so excited about it! Photos and more information about this will follow soon!

What did we experience so far?

Well, it is not always easy to get a enthusiastic YES! from the schools if we ask them to participate. But with the right explanation and of course adding the output of the co-creation sessions in order to make children feel comfortable and good in this study, schools really understand the need for this research and are happy to help. Schools are also curious in knowing the concrete situation at their own school (in function of healthiness, but also in function of the possible presence of empty lunchboxes). They are aware this study will enable to set up more targeted evidence-based actions and can also form a baseline in monitoring effects of local and large-scale (policy) strategies.

To be continued soon…

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