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August 27, 2026BMC Public HealthOpen Access

A process evaluation to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a peer-led intervention to promote healthy dietary behaviours in the secondary school setting

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Authors

LDLauren DevineUniversity College DublinAGAlison GallagherUniversity of UlsterSBStephen Briggs

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Implication

Feasibility trial reveals high acceptability and engagement for a peer-led dietary intervention in secondary school pupils, indicating strong potential for scalable canteen health initiatives.

Key Points

  • Evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a school canteen-based, peer-led pilot intervention aimed at promoting healthy dietary habits among secondary school adolescents.
  • Conducted an interventional feasibility process evaluation (ISRCTN62287542) across 4 secondary schools (n = 3 intervention, n = 1 control).
  • Enrolled Year 8 pupils (aged 11–12 years; n = 227 consented, 47% consent rate), Year 13 peer-leaders (aged 16–17 years), and school staff (n = 1 vice principal, n = 2 senior teachers, n = 3 catering supervisors).
  • Assessed trial feasibility via survey completion rates and evaluated acceptability through audio-recorded focus groups and individual staff interviews using thematic analysis.
  • Data collection proved highly feasible, achieving questionnaire completion rates of 92% at baseline and 89% at endpoint among Year 8 pupils.
  • Qualitative assessments demonstrated high acceptability across pupils, peer-leaders, and staff, driven by color-coded point-of-choice labels, low-cost rewards, and minimal burden on school operations.
  • Key stakeholder recommendations for future intervention scaling included expanding healthy food availability, integrating cashless electronic reward systems, and enhancing communication platforms for peer-leaders.

Cite This Study

Devine et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a8fe9da10c91c1e92621cbahttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-29121-2
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Implementation and Feasibility of a Co-designed Intervention to Promote Healthy Eating: Designed by Children for Children2026
  2. 2Process evaluation of an intervention developed using a participatory approach targeting school-related sedentary behaviour among adolescents2026
  3. 3Feasibility of a theory-based multicomponent intervention to improve diet and activity behaviours among primary school children: a pilot study2026
  4. 4Feasibility and acceptability of a school-based Group Motivational Interviewing intervention to reduce sugar-sweetened beverages among young people in East London: DISS feasibility study2026
  5. 5Changing the food environment in secondary school canteens to promote healthy dietary choices: a qualitative study with school catering staff2024