Review article
https://doi.org/10.13044/j.sdi.d2.0618
Comprehensive Review of School-Based Interventions to Improve Food Quality, Nutrition, and Sustainability in Educational Settings
Jee Yeon Hong
orcid.org/0000-0003-1159-4855
; Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea South
Jiseung Cho
; Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea South
Abstract
Context and background: Poor nutrition among children and adolescents is a major contributor to global health and sustainability challenges, driving obesity, type 2 diabetes, and food waste in schools.
Motivation: Educational institutions are uniquely positioned to shape healthy and sustainable dietary behaviors, yet the effectiveness of school-based interventions has not been systematically evaluated with respect to both health outcomes and sustainability indicators.
Hypothesis: We hypothesized that multi-component, whole-school interventions are more effective than single-focus programs in improving nutrition, reducing food waste, and supporting progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we systematically reviewed 12 peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2023, assessing their quality with JBI tools and extracting data on intervention types, outcomes, and sustainability metrics.
Results: The review found that whole-school, multi-component interventions achieved an average 15–25% improvement in fruit and vegetable intake, a 10–18% reduction in food waste, and measurable decreases in greenhouse gas emissions linked to dietary choices, while single-focus interventions showed limited effects.
Conclusions: School-based interventions, particularly those adopting a systemic whole-school approach, can simultaneously advance SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and a standardized set of sustainability indicators is urgently needed to guide future research and policy.
Keywords
School-based interventions; Food quality; Nutrition; Sustainability; School meals; Systematic review
Hrčak ID:
336173
URI
Publication date:
5.12.2025.
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