A quasi-experimental study to explore the association between nutritional education within the Holiday Activities and Food programme and related outcomes for children

Abstract Objective: Across school and community-based contexts, nutritional education interventions are often associated with improvements in a range of food-related and health-related outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the nutritional education component of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme in England was similarly associated with changes in these outcomes for children who attend. Design: A quasi-experimental, mixed-factorial 3 (School) × 3 (Group) × 2 (Time) design was employed. Outcome variables were liking and frequency of trying new foods, perceived cooking competence and health-related quality of life. Setting: Pre-post data were collected at three primary schools in one local authority in the North East of England at two time points (before and after the summer holidays). Participants: A non-probability, purposive sample of 169 children (mean age = 9·4 years, sd = 0·54) self-selected into groups of children who did not attend HAF over the summer holidays (No HAF; n 123), attended their school-based HAF club (HAF; n 29) or attended their school-based HAF club alongside a bespoke nutritional education programme (NEP) (HAF NEP; n 17). Results: Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U analyses found no significant between-group differences for any outcome, apart from perceived cooking competence. HAF NEP was associated with improved perceived cooking competence. Conclusions: Standard HAF was not associated with improved outcomes related to nutritional education. The HAF NEP group was associated with improved cooking competence only. The lack of significant findings in the intervention groups suggests that further research into HAF nutritional education is required.