School-based Strategies to Improve Diet Rapid Review
Overview
Nutrition during childhood and adolescence is important for establishing eating habits that promote short- and long-term health. In the United States, many children and adolescents consume as much as two-thirds of their daily meals at school.
The USDA Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review (NESR) team conducted a rapid review for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support to summarize evidence on school-based interventions for improving eating habits in children and adolescents. The objective of this rapid review was to answer the following question: What is the effect of school-based strategies that aim to improve acceptance of healthier foods and dietary patterns in children and adolescents on dietary intake and dietary intake-related behaviors?
A detailed description of the methodology used to complete this rapid review is found within the report. This review is informed by 162 articles providing evidence from randomized controlled trials.
The NESR team are scientists from the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion who have expertise in systematic review methodology and in nutrition science, dietetics, public health, and library science. NESR staff worked with staff from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support to determine the scope of the question and develop the rapid review protocol. A list of the staff who supported this work can be found at the link below.