The Food Boost Challenge: a social innovation designed for stimulating adolescents into consuming more fruit and vegetable products

M. van Lieshout, W. Scholtes-Bos, J. der Horst, P. van Holsteijn, S.I. de Vries
In most European countries, adolescents, especially those with lower education levels, do not meet the recommended intake of fruit and vegetable products (F&V-products). Therefore, we designed the Food Boost Challenge (FBC) aimed at stimulating adolescents into consuming more F&V-products. The FBC is a social quadruple helix innovation process consisting of four phases. In each phase, ideas are transformed into action in cocreation with users (adolescents aged 12-20 years old), (peer) researchers (students and applied researchers) and partners throughout the food system (non-governmental and commercial organisations). So far, 34 partners have signed up by paying both a pro rata in cash and an in kind contribution. In phase 1, 200 students explored the barriers and drivers for change in consumption of F&V-products among 1000 adolescents. In phase 2, students were challenged to develop innovative ideas into concepts to increase F&V consumption. Their concepts were submitted and evaluated in a nationwide competition. Concepts (n=25) fitted into one of four routes: i) innovative technology to stimulate a healthy diet; ii) new food products/concepts targeting adolescents; iii) hotspots, i.e., physical places and/or events, influencing and improving the experience of F&V-products; iv) new routes to markets, e.g., new channels and/or ways of presenting products. In phase 3, consortia of users, peer researchers and partners were formed for cocreating a selection of 10 concepts into prototypes. In phase 4, winning prototypes were offered a national stage. Results indicate this social quadruple helix innovation hits the right notes with all involved. The FBC generates useful insights in what adolescents need for increasing their intake of F&V. Not only have prototypes been developed in all four routes, but some of them have already reached the implementation stage. In addition the FBC has already been adopted by other regions in the Netherlands.
van Lieshout, M., Scholtes-Bos, W., der Horst, J., van Holsteijn, P. and de Vries, S.I. (2024). The Food Boost Challenge: a social innovation designed for stimulating adolescents into consuming more fruit and vegetable products. Acta Hortic. 1407, 1-8
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1407.1
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1407.1
food system, peer research, cocreation, lifestyle, healthy diet, non-communicable diseases, prevention
English

Acta Horticulturae