Objective: This is a cross-sectional study that compares the sales of "healthy" and "unhealthy" vending machines following the introduction of healthier vending machines on a university campus. Method: Healthy ("green" and "amber" category), competitively priced snacks and beverages in vending machines (n =…

Objective: The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to analyse the identities of a mother and her biopedagogical practices regarding physical activity as well as healthy eating. Method: The participant of the study was a mother of two children who immigrated to Aotearoa/New Zealand from Indonesia. We collected the small story through open-ended…

This article addresses the pressing issue of food waste by focusing on the development of young adolescents' food waste literacy. The concept of "food waste literacy" (FWL), defined as the literacy for the judicious use of food, encompasses knowledge, attitudes, values, and behaviours related to food waste. The article presents a study…

Many environmental concerns such as climate change and reducing fossil-fuel dependence seem 'out of reach' for the majority of us regarding creating change. However, food systems and how we interact with them, offer tangible opportunities to respond to these environmental concerns in small but meaningful ways. By examining the impact of our food…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore ways in which children and young people are being positioned as change agents for families through school health promotion initiatives in New Zealand. Design/methodology/approach: The paper maps and describes the kinds of policies and initiatives that directly or indirectly regard children as…

In this article I discuss my experiences as an international PhD student conducting research in New Zealand. This reflexive paper will discuss the challenges and difficulties I faced as a novice researcher and as an 'outsider' who needed to understand and embrace the uniquely Kiwi-Maori culture that permeates New Zealand society. In particular,…

Purpose: It is known that the consumption of fruits and vegetables in children is declining despite wide-spread national and international policy attempts to increase consumption. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the experiences of children's consumption of fruits and vegetables so as to facilitate better health education targeting.…

Purpose: Food practices, including associated routines, rituals, and habits, are an unexplored area in school health promotion. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap through exploring how food rituals act as vehicles for young people to establish, maintain, and strengthen social relationships. Design/methodology/approach: Through an…

Purpose: The health-promoting schools (HPSs) framework has emerged as a promising model for promoting school connectedness in the school setting. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential for food practices to promote school connectedness within a HPSs framework. Design/methodology/approach: This study explores food practices within a…

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the association between the school nutrition climate and students' eating behaviors and body mass index (BMI). Methods: Data were collected as part of Youth'07, a nationally representative health survey of high school students in New Zealand. Overall, 9107 randomly selected students from 96…

Background: Scientific literacy development is widely emphasized as the overarching goal of science education. It encompasses development of understanding of the nature of science as well as knowledge, attitudes, and values that contribute to empowering adolescents to engage with and make evidence-based decisions about socioscientific issues.…

Objective: To examine the relationship between family meals and nutrition behaviors of adolescents. Design: Secondary analysis of Youth'07, a nationally representative survey. Setting: Secondary schools in New Zealand. Participants: Randomly selected adolescents (aged 13-17 years, n = 9,107) completed a multimedia and anonymous survey about their…

Background: Internationally, it is well established that the behaviour, performance, and achievement of schoolchildren is directly linked to the nutritional status of overall diet -- including the contents of their school lunch-boxes. In a previous survey study by the lead authors, primary school children's food consumption behaviour was…

A wide array of health policies and initiatives have emerged in New Zealand recently in an attempt to resurrect a presumed "lost", adventure-loving, physically capable and non-obese Kiwi kid. Chief among these is "Mission-On"--a 67 million dollar package of 10 initiatives designed to explicitly target the eating and exercise…

Methamphetamine has become a drug of concern in many countries. This qualitative study reports on the historical and current psychological and physical health of a group of methamphetamine users in Auckland, New Zealand in 2004, most of whom were in drug treatment. Participants reported they had experienced a range of physical health problems…