The Impact of School-Based Food and Nutrition Intervention Strategies on BMI, Nutritional Knowledge and Attitude Toward Healthy Food in the UK Primary Schools'Pupils – A Literature Review

Abstract

Abstract Background: Healthy eating during childhood is generally recognised as crucial for optimal growth, development, and academic performance. However, although primary schools in the UK play a significant role in shaping dietary habits, many face challenges when it comes to promoting and implementing effective nutritional programmes for children. This review therefore focuses on the following questions: firstly, what are the current school-based food and nutrition intervention in UK primary schools? Secondly, is there any evidence of positive outcomes for pupils’ healthy eating? Thirdly, are there any gaps in those interventions and, if so, how can these be addressed? Method: The search process was conducted using three electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, to identify articles published between 2010 and 2023. A total of 1199 articles were identified by using the following keywords: "free school meal"; "UK primary schools"; "cooking lesson"; "school gardening"; "school-based food intervention"; "school-based nutrition education"; "school eating behaviour"; and "obesity prevention programme". The inclusion criteria identified eighteen articles selected for full review. Results: This study identified four strategies: firstly, school-based nutrition education; secondly, free school meals; thirdly, school-based cooking lessons; and finally, school gardening. The findings suggest that these school-based interventions have a positive impact on pupils' nutritional knowledge as well as their consumption of Fruit and Vegetables and attitudes towards healthy food, but not on their Body Mass Index (BMI). Conclusion: This review concludes that the examined strategies can effectively enhance pupils' nutritional knowledge, fruit and vegetable consumption, and their attitude towards healthy food but not on BMI. However, several issues are highlighted: first, nutritional programs could benefit from strengthened collaboration among schools, families, and local communities; second, teachers currently face challenges due to a lack of time, support, and resources for delivering these interventions effectively; and third, there is a noticeable absence of systematic monitoring for school meals and the dissemination of nutritional information. Further research is needed to investigate the long-term effects of these strategies on pupils' BMI.