Promoting Good Nutrition: School-Based Programs Promoting Nutrition and Physical Activity

School-based nutrition interventions are implemented in school settings to promote healthy nutritional attitudes, knowledge and behavior, including eating and physical activity among school-aged children and adolescents. The interventions may target food policy, environmental factors and/or nutrition education. Interventions may be directed at school administrators, food service staff, teachers, parents, or directly to students. Interventions may be delivered by regular classroom teachers or by special program instructors.

Summary of Task Force Recommendations & Findings

The Community Preventive Services Task Force finds insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of multicomponent school-based nutrition interventions in increasing fruit and vegetable intake and decreasing fat and saturated fat intake among school-age children.

Results from the Systematic Review

Forty-five reports in forty-one studies qualified for the systematic review.

• A wide variation was seen in:
  • Combinations of components (activities)
  • Length of study (< 3 months to 60 months)
  • Age of study population (K–12, median age 9.3 years; most students were in grades 3–5)
  • Length of follow-up period (55% immediate follow-up to 2% at 48 months)
• Results were measured in terms of behavioral outcomes including changes in intake of fruit and vegetables, fat, and saturated fat.
• Study outcomes were based on self-report of dietary intake, which is probably subject to reporting bias (e.g., social desirability—the possibility that answers may be influenced by what the respondent thinks is socially acceptable).
• Although reported changes were in the desired direction, they were small and are questionable because of the potential bias of self-reports.

Find a Research-tested Intervention Program (RTIP) about school-based programs promoting nutrition and physical activity (What is an RTIP?).

These results were based on a systematic review of all available studies, conducted on behalf of the Task Force by a team of specialists in systematic review methods, and in research, practice and policy related to school-based nutrition programs.

Supporting Materials

• Included studies

Publications

More Community Guide publications about the Promoting Good Nutrition

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Sample Citation

The content of publications of the Guide to Community Preventive Services is in the public domain. Citation as to source, however, is appreciated. Sample citation: Guide to Community Preventive Services. Promoting good nutrition: school-based programs promoting nutrition and physical activity. www.thecommunityguide.org/nutrition/schoolprograms.html. Last updated: MM/DD/YYYY.

Review completed: June 2003