Background

Nutrition is a highly relevant health determinant associated with healthy development and non-communicable diseases through-out the life course, and overall mortality in older age. Little is known on when and how gender dimensions play a role for the development of dietary practices in children and adolescents. The research project Gender concepts and Nutrition In childhood (GeNI) takes a sex- and gender and intersectionality approach to dietary behavior and nutritional intake in 6-17-year-olds.

Methods

In a convergent mixed methods study design, we will 1) re-use the menuCH-Kids data, a first national nutrition data set available in Spring 2025, (Work package (WP) 1), and 2) run focus group discussions on gender concepts of dietary behavior and nutrition with children, adolescents and parents (WP2).

The menuCH-Kids data allow to quantitatively analyze 1) gendered dietary patterns, 2) their associations with health outcomes, and 3) intersections of gender and other socio-cultural dimensions regarding dietary behavior. The qualitative data will provide 4) a deeper understanding of the gendered dietary behaviors and intersecting dimensions in this age group. All results will be integrated (WP3), with the intent to expand and converge the results, and to reflect the relevance for practice and policy collaboratively with implementation partners.

Results

Final results and recommendations will be disseminated adapted to target groups and according to needs expressed by practice and policy. In collaboration with the implementation partners, GeNI will critically review current nutrition guidelines, develop recommendations and provide the basis for sex- and gender-sensitive delivery of health promotion, prevention, health care and education in the context of nutrition and associated health outcomes.

The study will advance the understanding of sex and gender dimensions of nutrition, and thus contribute to reducing gender health inequalities through the implementation of gender-sensitive practice and policies.