Exploring the workplace climate and culture in relation to food environment-related factors in Norwegian kindergartens: The BEA-study

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between the workplace environment and work culture in kindergartens and employees’ food-related practices and the serving of vegetables to kindergarten children. The researchers also investigated whether staff practices related to the serving of food could be a mediating factor between workplace environment and culture in relation to the serving of vegetables at the institution. 

There was a significant positive correlation between work environment and work culture factors and the employees’ food-related practices and serving of vegetables. The employees’ food-related practices conveyed the correlation between support from kindergarten management and the variety of vegetables served. The staff also conveyed the correlation between obligations to the organisation and the frequency, in addition to the variety, of served vegetables.

Information about serving vegetables, employees’ food-related practices and data on the workplace environment and culture were collected through the use of a 5-day vegetable diary, where the vegetables were weighed and measured, as well as three paper-based surveys. 73 kindergartens in the Norwegian counties of Vestfold and Buskerud participated in the study. Measurements of workplace environment and culture were collected from kindergarten coordinators, the pedagogical leaders and kindergarten assistants.

A paper-based survey, answered by kindergarten coordinators, was used to assess workplace environment and work culture. A paper-based survey, answered by the pedagogical leaders, was used to assess the frequency and variety of vegetables served, in addition to work environment, work culture and the employees’ food-related practices. A paper-based survey, answered by kindergarten assistants, was used to assess the work environment, work culture and employees’ food-related practices. All three groups answered the same questions related to workplace environment and culture, and pedagogical leaders and kindergarten assistants answered the same questions related to employees’ food-related practices.

Himberg-Sundet, A., Kristiansen, A. L., Gebremariam, M. K., Moser. T., Andersen, L. F., Bjelland, M. & Lien, N. (2019). “Exploring the workplace climate and culture in relation to food environment-related factors in Norwegian kindergartens: The BEA-study”. PLoS ONE, 14(12):1-14.