Healthy eating guidelines for a school jurisdiction: collaborative design and implementation.

Purpose: Healthy eating is a determinant of optimal growth, and schools provide an ideal setting in which to influence students' diets. The Healthy Eating Guidelines Initiative (HEGI) was a partnership among education, health, and community stakeholders to develop and implement healthy eating guidelines across a school jurisdiction. An evaluation was conducted to examine the potential impact of the HEGI on the school food environment and students' self-reported diets. Methods: All schools in the jurisdiction were invited to participate in the evaluation. Participating schools included elementary, middle, high, and mixed grades schools. A school environment assessment and a student questionnaire were used to collect data before and after the HEGI. Results: Twenty-two (71%) of 31 schools participated in the evaluation. The guidelines were successfully implemented in 17 of these 22 schools. Overall, a greater proportion of students reported healthier eating behaviours at the conclusion of the HEGI. In particular, a greater proportion of students in schools with cafeteria-style food service showed significantly improved self-reported dietary behaviours. These changes were not seen among students at schools with limited or no on-site food service. Conclusions: The findings are consistent with those of previous studies, and indicate that guidelines for a school jurisdiction can have a positive impact on the school food environment and students' food intake. The HEGI shows promise as a strategy to promote healthy eating among students.