Healthy growing up with after-school care

The GO-BSO project provides practical tools for after-school care (BSO) pedagogical professionals to help children develop healthy eating and physical activity habits.

Centre of Expertise Health Innovation

Gezond opgroeien

A healthy lifestyle for children does not come naturally. To prevent overweight and obesity, it is important for children to learn healthy eating and physical activity habits from an early age. Not only parents, but also after-school care (BSO) plays an important role in this. Pedagogical staff see many children but are often not trained to promote a healthy lifestyle. They need a practical, accessible, and sustainable approach that works for different ages and backgrounds. That is why the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and The Hague University of Applied Sciences are developing a guideline for BSO professionals.

In co-creation with BSO professionals and children, we are building a healthy future within GO-BSO - together is our key word.

- Nicole Toussaint, researcher

Background

Teaching young children healthy eating and physical activity behaviors is important. In the Netherlands, the number of children with overweight or obesity is increasing, which can have serious consequences for their health. We also know that children who are physically active and eat healthy from a young age are more likely to maintain these behaviors later in life. This makes it especially valuable to promote a healthy lifestyle early on. BSO is a setting where children of different ages and backgrounds come together, meaning that lifestyle interventions implemented here can reach a broad target group and help reduce health inequalities among children.

Objective

The objective of GO-BSO is to develop a practical and feasible guideline for BSO professionals to promote healthy behaviors in children, tailored to their age and socio-cultural background.

Method

The researchers, together with BSO professionals and children, are developing a guideline using intervention mapping: a structured six-step method to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based and theory-driven health promotion interventions. The focus is on understanding the behavioral determinants of the target group in order to design effective programs that achieve behavior change.

The guideline will be tested in a pilot study for usability, feasibility, and potential effects on the parenting skills of professionals and on children’s eating and physical activity behaviors within BSO. Based on the results, the guideline will be refined and further implemented.

Results

Several outcomes are expected within this project:

  1. A practical guideline that enables BSO professionals to apply healthy lifestyle themes and stimulate healthy behavior among diverse groups of children.
  2. Insight into the potential effects of the guideline on children’s eating and physical activity behaviors and on the skills of pedagogical staff.
  3. Scientific articles, professional publications, and presentations.

Impact

By developing a guideline, the GO-BSO project directly addresses a key question within after-school care: how healthy lifestyle programs can align with children’s growing independence, from preschool age to early adolescence. By working together with professionals and children, the guideline can be tested for usability and feasibility during the research process, ensuring it can continue to be used after the project ends.

The project is closely linked to education at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and The Hague University of Applied Sciences. Researchers from The Hague University of Applied Sciences, from the research group Healthy Lifestyle in a Supporting Environment (Centre of Expertise Health Innovation), collaborate with students from programs such as Nutrition and Dietetics, Pedagogy, and the Academy for Physical Education. Students participate in the project through graduation internships, modules, minors, and practical assignments. In doing so, they deepen their knowledge of promoting a healthy lifestyle and develop their research skills.

Duration

This project runs from 1 October 2025 through 30 September 2027.

Funding

This project is funded by Regieorgaan SIA through a RAAK Public grant (RAAK.PUB15.010).

Collaboration

Within GO-BSO, a range of partners collaborate, namely:

Team

The Hague University of Applied Sciences: Karlijn Sporrel, Wendy Scholtes-Bos en Sanne de Vries.

Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences: Nicole Toussaint, Sandra Mul, Josje Schoufour, Martinette Streppel, Peter Weijs, Mirka Janssen, Mara Heijdelberger en Ruben Fukkink.

Contact

Wendy Scholtes, onderzoeker ([email protected])