Improving the nutritional well-being of school-age children through the nutrition-friendly schools initiative (NFSI) in the State of Palestine

ABSTRACT

GAZA & WEST BANK. What this article is about This article outlines the Nutrition-Friendly Schools Initiative, a UNICEF-Supported intervention targeting healthy dietary and physical activity habits and improved nutritional status of school-age children. Key messages * Contextualizing innovative Nutrition Friendly School approaches and tailoring interventions towards the COVID-19 response achieved high coverage of school-age Palestinian children, building the foundations for future interventions. * Initially, the absence of a National Nutrition Adolescent protocol, including clear procedures on school-age children nutrition screening and treatment, posed a significant challenge to the early stages of implementation. However, the introduction of revised National Nutrition Protocols mitigated this challenge, highlighting the value of adolescent-specific public health and nutrition policies.