A systematic review of the effects of nutrition programmes in high schools

Introduction/Objectives: Obesity rates are reaching alarming levels. Adolescence is a critical period for the prevention of nutritional problems, as it is a time of development of one's own eating habits. These habits will persist into adulthood, so showing adolescents healthy lifestyle patterns is important. The ideal option would be through school-based nutrition intervention programmes. The main objective of this article is to investigate the effectiveness of intervention programmes based on nutritional knowledge and the behaviour of adolescents aged 11-19 years. Method: To carry out this systematic review we employed Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science as databases and a search period that spanned the last 10 years, following the PRISMA statement. Subsequent to the search, 110 articles were found. Finally, 19 articles were selected for in-depth analysis after a thorough screening. Results: The results show that, in general, intervention programmers have improved the nutritional knowledge of high school students, which means an improvement in their eating behaviours. In addition, these programmes increase their levels of physical activity. However, gender differences are observed, with girls being more concerned about maintaining a balanced diet. Conclusion: In conclusion, schools are an ideal environment for developing programmes that interfere in adolescent eating behaviour.

Introducción/Objetivos: Las tasas de obesidad están alcanzando niveles alarmantes. La adolescencia es un periodo crítico para la prevención de problemas nutricionales, ya que es un momento de desarrollo de los propios hábitos alimentarios. Estos hábitos permanecerán en la edad adulta, por lo que es importante mostrarles a los adolescentes patrones de estilo de vida saludable. La opción ideal sería a través de programas de intervención nutricional en las escuelas. El objetivo principal de este artículo es investigar la efectividad de los programas de intervención basados en el conocimiento y comportamiento nutricional en adolescentes de 11 a 19 años. Métodos: Para llevar a cabo esta revisión sistemática utilizamos como bases de datos Scopus, PubMed y Web of Science y un periodo de búsqueda que abarcó los últimos diez años, siguiendo la declaración Prisma. Después de la búsqueda, se encontraron 110 artículos. Finalmente, 19 artículos fueron seleccionados para un análisis en profundidad después de una revisión exhaustiva. Resultados: Los resultados muestran que, en general, los programas de intervención han mejorado los conocimientos nutricionales de los estudiantes de secundaria, lo que significa una mejora en sus conductas alimentarias. Además, estos programas aumentan sus niveles de actividad física. Sin embargo, se observan diferencias de género, estando las chicas más preocupadas por mantener una dieta equilibrada. Conclusiones: En conclusión, las escuelas son un ambiente ideal para el desarrollo de programas que interfieren en la conducta alimentaria de los adolescentes.

A review of national plans of action for nutrition in Southeast Asian countries

@#This review describes national plans of action for nutrition (NPANs) in six Southeast Asia countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) in order to provide an understanding of the approach and framework undertaken by these countries in the formulation and implementation of NPANs, as well as the similarities and differences in various NPAN components. The six countries recognised the persistent undernutrition and escalating rates of obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases as the key drivers for nutrition action plan implementation. The prioritisation of nutrition interventions outlined in these NPANs are based on respective country context and needs. Although differing in strategies and targets set, these countries show similarities in several components including objectives, stakeholder involvement, nutritional issues to be addressed, implementation, monitoring and evaluation mechanism, programme/ activities identified and challenges in implementing NPANs. Countries have recognised that effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation are essential to successfully address both extremes of the challenging nutrition situation. Several important similarities in the NPANs studied suggest that closer collaboration among countries and stakeholders on NPANs would be beneficial. Opportunities should be created for periodic exchanges to enable sharing of experiences in the development and implementation of NPANs among the countries. Recommendations and conclusions drawn from this review could serve as useful reference for nutrition policy and planning in the future.