S24 - Session O2 - The Food Boost Challenge: a social innovation designed for stimulating adolescents into consuming more fruit and vegetable products

Authors: Machteld van Lieshout *, Wendy Scholtes-Bos, Judith van der Horst, Puck van Holsteijn, Sanne de Vries

In most European counties, adolescents, especially those with lower education levels, do not meet the recommended intake of fruit and vegetable (fav) products. Therefore, we designed the Food Boost Challenge (FBC) aiming at stimulating adolescents into consuming more fav products. The FBC is designed as a social innovation aiming at "change through co-creation" in four phases. In each phase, ideas are transformed into action in a triangle of users (adolescents), peer researchers (secondary school pupils and university students) and partners throughout the food system (non-governmental and commercial organisations). In phase 1 we explore the barriers and drivers for change in fav consumption among adolescents through peer research. In phase 2 by challenging the users and peer researchers to develop innovative ideas into concepts which are submitted and evaluated in a nationwide competition. We envisage concepts into one of four routes: a) innovative technology to stimulate a healthy diet; b) new food products/concepts targeting adolescents; c) hotspots, i.e. physical places and/or events, influencing and improving the experience of fav products; d) new routes to markets, e.g. new channels (such as canteens) and/or ways of presenting products (at retailers). In phase 3 consortia of users, peer researchers and partners are formed for co-creating a selection of concepts into prototypes. In phase 4, winning prototypes are offered a national stage. Preliminary results indicate this social quadruple helix innovation hits the right notes with all involved. At the start of the FBC, > 25 partners signed up by paying both a pro rata in cash and in kind contribution. In phase 1, almost 200 students are peer researching over 1000 pupils. Phase 2, 3 and 4 will start in January, March and June 2022, respectively. During this IHC we will not only present more details about the Food Boost Challenge but also the winning prototypes.