Thesis subject

Effect study EU-Schoolfruit

The EU-Schoolfruit program is a Dutch nationwide nutrition education program for primary schools (see euschoolfruit.nl). Participating primary schools receive weekly 3 pieces of fruits and vegetables per pupil for free during 20 weeks (November-April) in order to promote fruit and vegetable consumption. Every year, around 3000 primary schools, out of the total approximate amount of 7000, are participating in this program.

What is the effect of EU-Schoolfruit on the long term?

Research question

Taste Lessons

Taste Lessons is another Dutch national school-based nutrition education program for primary schools (see smaaklessen.nl). The programme consists of 5 lessons for each grade, discussing various topics in relation to five themes: ‘taste’, ‘nutrition and health’, ‘cooking’, ‘food production’ and ‘consumer skills’. Teachers are able to implement Taste Lessons in a flexible way, during the whole school year. Every year, around 4500 primary schools, out of the total approximate amount of 7000, are participating this program.

The effect study

In the school year of 2018-2019 an effect study for EU-Schoolfruit has started. This effect study contains a quasi-experimental design with three arms: (1) schools that implement the EU-Schoolfruit program, (2) schools that implement the EU-Schoolfruit program and Taste Lessons and (3) schools that implement no nutrition education program. The nutrition knowledge, food literacy and fruit and vegetable intake of children (grade 6 and 7) will be assessed by a questionnaire during school time at baseline (T0, October 2018) and two follow-up measurements (T1, May 2019 and T2, October 2019).

Contact person dr. JN (Joanne) Leerlooijer

Contact

Practical information

Starting date: September 2019
Preferred language: Dutch
Location/ country: the Netherlands
Supervisor(s)/contact person: Annemien Haveman-Nies and Angeliek Verdonschot
Type of research activities:The MSc student will be part of the research team during the T2 measurement (October 2019), which contains the following activities:
planning appointments with teachers (mostly by email) when to visit their school for the measurement (T2)
Visiting Dutch primary schools in October 2019 (T2) with (hardcopy) questionnaires for children (grade 6 and 7)
Processing data and performing analysis (also including results from T0 and T1) with the use of the statistical program R
What kind of student are you looking for? (study programme, skills, etc.)
Type of student: We are looking for two Dutch speaking Communication and/or Nutrition & Health Master students with a passion for nutrition and health, high communication skills, an affinity with primary school education.