Parents' and school personnel's perspectives on healthy eating in Thai primary schools

Abstract Childhood nutrition is fundamental to children’s growth and learning, yet recent national data indicate 13.3% of Thai children aged 6–14 years have overweight and 15.2% have obesity despite nationwide School Lunch and School Milk Programmes. This qualitative study examined how parents and school personnel perceive their roles, challenges, and collaboration in promoting healthy eating among pupils in three public schools in Chiang Mai. Using purposive recruitment, 16 mothers and 10 school personnel (seven teachers and three directors) participated in parent focus groups and individual interviews; data were transcribed in Thai and analysed thematically. Three themes were identified: fragmented role division within and between home and school food actors, varied meal-management models under constrained staff and budgets, and food procurement challenges restricting healthy options. Parents described limited opportunities to contribute views on school food practices and primarily discussed supporting children’s eating at home, whereas school personnel described a broad mandate encompassing menu planning, procurement, and problem-solving with insufficient guidance and institutional support. Both groups identified children’s preferences for unhealthy snacks and the surrounding food environment as challenges, but emphasised different forms of support. While parents suggested that improved home–school communication could be beneficial in similar settings, school personnel highlighted structural support and clearer policy direction.