Webinar question: Given that our school curricular are loaded already, how best can nutrition education be dispensed in schools? What best practice evidence is there?

Hello, 

I asked the team at Havard about their experience of this from the MEGA trial -study in Tanzania : Meals, Education, and Gardens for In-School Adolescents (MEGA), but they are just in the early stages of the project, but hopefully can share some insights on this in the future. 

Also, I saw this recent paper just published: Integrating nutrition into the education sector in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A framework for a win–win collaboration. They say "We reviewed the literature to identify existing frameworks outlining how nutrition programs can be delivered by and through the education sector and used these to build a comprehensive framework. We first organized nutrition programs in the education sector into (1) school food, meals, and food environment; (2) nutrition and health education; (3) physical activity and education; (4) school health services; and (5) water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector. We then discuss how each one can be successfully implemented." Sounds useful. 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mcn.13156?utm_campaign=&utm_content=&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=hootsuite

Schools are a unique setting for delivering interventions to school-going children and adolescents, and the school curriculum provides an opportunity to promote healthy eating and ensure physical activity through food, nutrition, and physical education classes. School-based food and nutrition education is more likely to be effective when it focuses on behaviour and action rather than knowledge alone and when it systematically links theory, research, and practice. For instance, garden-based interventions that provide hands-on experience to children in planting, harvesting, and preparing vegetables and fruits can increase their intake of these foods and makes younger children more willing to try these foods. Similarly, providing education to help children interpret nutrition labeling can improve their food behaviours and purchase choices. Please find below an excellent resource on School Food and Nutrition Education:

- DOI: https://doi.org/10.4060/cb2064en
 - PDF URL: http://www.fao.org/3/cb2064en/cb2064en.pdf

Great initiative. One important point that has to be clarified: which level of school (education) we are talking about? This helps to define the type of BCC activities based on target groups, considering age of targeted students; as well targeted school communities and external actors/factors.