[Nutrition as a resource for networked community based health promotion for children-perspectives of parents and experts].

Background: The promotion of healthy nutrition and alimentary participation (the possibility of experiencing the social function of food) is an essential aspect of integrated overall approaches of community-based health promotion. Preschool and primary school settings are given particular importance in terms of the target group focused on by community-based approaches: children from socially disadvantaged families.
Objectives: How do parents and practice experts describe the status quo, potential, and obstacles in the implementation of healthy nutrition practices in the settings kindergarten and elementary school? What ist the importance of nutrition and alimentary participation within the framework of the integrated overall approach attributed by practice experts?
Method: In two urban centers, expert interviews were conducted with stakeholders of integrated overall approaches and administrators from preschools and primary schools. The perspectives held by parents in financially precarious situations or with immigrant backgrounds were explored in group discussions.
Results: Nutrition takes on an important role in the narratives of parents and experts. Preschools and primary schools draw upon daily interaction with food and shared meals in a variety of ways to foster the development of healthy eating habits and alimentary participation. It has become clear that preschools and primary schools must increasingly counteract delegation of parenting responsibilities and poor nutrition practices, for instance by providing socially compensatory breakfasts. Parents acknowledge these efforts but express criticism that food in schools is eaten under problematic spatial conditions and intense time pressure.
Discussion: Nutrition is used by experts as a resource but, in contrast to physical exercise or mental health, without reference to integrated community-based health promotion. Promotion of alimentary participation and healthy nutrition practice could have more impact if stakeholders saw themselves as essential components of integrated community-based health promotion.