Parental perceptions of onsite hospital food outlets in a large hospital in the North East of England: A qualitative interview study protocol

The need to address the increasing obesity rates of children living in the United Kingdom has become a Government priority. It has been recognized that a public health level approach as opposed to an individual approach is potentially one way forward. The wider food environment should be designed so that the 'healthier choice' is the easiest choice; this includes public sector settings such as hospitals. Due to Private Finance Initiative deals many hospitals do not own their premises and therefore do not have control over the types of shops and outlets permitted to operate on site. Many of these outlets sell and promote food and drinks high in sugar, fat and salt undermining health messages developed by the UK National Health Service. Financial incentives have been provided to encourage hospitals to promote healthier food choices; however few outlets have complied with all the set targets. The aim of this qualitative interview study is to determine the dietary perceptions and needs of parents whose children attend a large children's hospital in the North East of England. A purposive sample of parents whose children attend the hospital as an in- or out-patient will be invited to participate in a one-to-one in-depth interview to share their views of the wider hospital food environment. Interviews will be conducted until data saturation is reached and Framework Analysis will be adopted for interview analysis. These findings will inform a larger study to pilot-test an intervention to facilitate healthier food choice in hospital settings.