Best practices and challenges in implementing healthy food environment at school setting toward prevention of obesity in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Abstract

Consumption habits and nutritional status during adolescence can affect nutrition and health status in the future related to the risk of degenerative or non-communicable diseases. Good environmental support can make teenagers also do a good habit as well. A school environment that pays attention to a healthy food environment can support changes in patterns or types of consumption of healthier food in adolescents. This study aims to analyze best practices and challenges in implementing healthy food environment. This study aims to analyze best practices and challenges in implementing healthy food environment. Online focus group discussion was held consisting of 15 high school teachers from Indonesia and 5 high school teachers from Malaysia. Data were triangulated to enhance validity and to create a more comprehensive understanding of healthy food environments in schools in Indonesia and Malaysia and were analyzed using a content analysis research technique. The results highlighted the current status of the food environment at schools in Indonesia and Malaysia, challenges to implementing healthy food environment, best practices, and future, including propose concept and solution to initiate too. The results emphasize the need to dig deeper to understand why the school food environment in Indonesia and Malaysia is still far from an ideal healthy food environment. Concepts and suggestions on how schools in Indonesia and Malaysia should move forward to build a healthy school food environment are also presented in this paper.