Effect of School-Based Food and Nutrition Education Interventions on the Food Consumption of Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Q2
Aug 2022
Citations:61
Influential Citations:4
Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses
90
S2 IconPDF Icon

Enhanced Details

Methods
Participants: adolescents aged 10–19 years (mixed gender; generally healthy; exclusions included physical or intellectual disabilities, chronic diseases, endocrine disorders, obesity, and pregnancy). Study design: randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of school-based food and nutrition education interventions; systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines.
Results
Interventions increased fruit intake by 0.09 servings per day (95% CI 0.05–0.14) and vegetable intake by 0.59 servings per week (95% CI 0.15–1.03); overall fruit-and-vegetable consumption showed no significant change (SMD 0.00, 95% CI −0.11 to 0.11). Findings favor multicomponent, theory-based school programs involving school environment changes, families, and teachers, with stronger effects on vegetables. Shorter interventions (<1 year) tended to yield significant gains; longer interventions (≥1 year) showed limited sustained effects, highlighting the need for ongoing, school-wide nutrition education to maintain behavior changes.
Limitations
Substantial heterogeneity across FV outcomes (I2 = 66%); many trials had some concerns or high risk of bias; reliance on self-reported dietary measures; variability in intervention components, duration, and theoretical frameworks; limited generalizability of long-term effects.

Abstract

The school is a favorable environment for the development of interventions to prevent obesity. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the effects of school-based food and nutrition education interventions on adolescent food consumptio...