SchoolFood4Change in the Region of Valencia: a whole-school approach to tackle childhood obesity

Description of the practice

SchoolFood4Change (SF4C) is a 4-year European project promoting systemic change in school food environments across 11 countries. In the Region of Valencia, it implemented three integrated strategies: (1) sustainable public food procurement reform through multi-stakeholder market dialogues; (2) planetary health cooking training for catering staff, teachers, and vocational centres; and (3) the Whole School Food Approach (WSFA), a progressive Bronze/Silver/Gold accreditation framework embedded into the regional Public Health Action Portfolio since 2023–24 and supported by all 16 Public Health Centres.

Results

The project reached 43 schools and approximately 17,679 pupils. Ninety-four professionals were trained and 21 schools achieved Bronze certification. Forty public health technicians qualified as WSFA facilitators, while market dialogues with over 56 stakeholders produced concrete proposals for healthier procurement criteria. Community engagement was fostered through seven editions of the “School Canteen Day”, and acceptability of planetary health menus was tested with 127 pupils in 5th and 6th grade. The initiative also promoted international exchange through four culinary collaborations with schools from the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Slovakia.

Lessons

The Valencian experience demonstrates that integrating WSFA into routine public health services guarantees territorial reach and long-term sustainability beyond project funding. Schools can act as structural catalysts for food system change, simultaneously addressing childhood obesity, social equity, and environmental sustainability, offering a replicable model for other European regions.

Key messages

• Embedding the Whole School Food Approach into public health services ensures every school can tackle childhood obesity, equity, and sustainability, beyond project funding.

• 43 schools, 17,679 pupils reached: SF4C is transforming school food in Valencia through training, certification, and healthier, more sustainable canteen menus.