Using figured worlds to explore parents' attitudes and influences for choosing the content of primary school packed lunches

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore parents' attitudes toward the content of their child's packed lunch, school healthy eating policies, and their child's wishes. Furthermore, in this context, it also aimed to explore perceptions of health promotional materials and how these interventions interplayed with issues parents felt were important. Design: The ideology of ‘figured worlds’ was used as a stance to consider the relationship between bounding structures within society and the individual positional identity. Focus groups interviews obtained qualitative data of parents' multiple viewpoints. Iterative categorisation was employed as a method of analysis to observed findings in the data in relation to the individuals as intersubjective beings and their behaviour influenced by environmental conditions. Setting: A cross selection of local schools and parenting network were approached. Snowballing techniques were implemented highlighting the inclusion criteria. Subjects: Participants were required to have a child attending primary school who they provided a packed lunch for on a regular basis. Results: Three umbrella themes were identified: ‘The parents ideal’, ‘The child's desires’, and ‘Inconsistencies of the governing school’. A fourth theme, ‘The health promotional intrusion’ provides insight into the parents' reality when being presented with health promotional materials. Conclusions: This study has highlighted the complex, conflicting interplay between parents' ideal for their child's diet, their child's desires and the governing approaches to encouraging healthier choices. This understanding is vital when designing specific interventions to meet the needs of individuals, which prevent, protect and promote a healthy lifestyle for children and their families.