Promoting Nutrition in Schools: Evidence-Based Strategies and Program Plan

Nutrition Promotion
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Dear, Sir/ Madam
I would like to bring to your attention the need for addressing the current prevalence of
overweight and obese cases among young children. As a Masters Graduate in in Nutrition, the
emergence of this pandemic has largely been brought about by poor health and nutritional
behaviors among the young population.
The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council designates that children should be
accorded optimum nutrition for the purpose of bolstering healthy growth and development.
Healthy eating in this case will ensure that children are able to maintain healthy weight and have
a guaranteed protection against premature mortality that may arise from chronic illnesses such as
diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and cancer amongst others Dudley. (1)
On the contrary, if children are subjected in an environment where unhealthy eating
characterized by high consumption of energy dense foods and poor intake of fruits and
vegetables, is regarded as a societal norm, then their health is put at high risk. In such a case and

at such an early stage of their life, they are likely to succumb to non-communicable diseases
Farinelli. (2) As such, it is of primary concern that children become exposed to healthy eating
behaviors at an early stage of their life.
Further evidence also suggests that developing healthy eating practices at childhood can have
beneficial effects as the young generation transition into adulthood. For one, they are likely to
inculcate such behaviors or eating patterns in later years of their lives. Also, the risk of the
aforementioned diseases becomes significantly reduced as they age Katz. (3) Schools, provide
the ideal setting to instill such desirable practices in children not only because they act as the
epicenter of connecting parents, community, teachers and children, but also because they have
the infrastructure, physical environment, curricular and teaching that can foster health and
nutrition promotion UNSCN. (8)
To conclude, the urgency for obesity pandemic and related chronic diseases cries for action
necessitating evidence-based intervention strategies which can ideally be fully implanted within
a school setting. The targeted healthy outcomes for this program would be to reduce the
consumption of energy dense foods, reduce sugar consumption, increase fruit and vegetable
intake, and most importantly to increase nutritional knowledge.

Program Plan
1.0 Introduction and Purpose
Primary school children require good health and development and this can primarily be
achieved through healthy eating. Schools have a great role to play in the promotion of healthy
eating among children due to a number of factors. For one, school settings act as access points
for engaging students, parents and the community in health and nutrition promotion WHO.(4)
Furthermore, schools have vast infrastructure, curricula and policies, teaching and learning
resources, committed staff and a physical environment that can foster and influence children
positively to develop healthy eating for nutritional purposes. (1) Nonetheless, it should be noted
that the efficacy and success of any nutritional-based program relies on teachers and the
community as the key agents in enhancing health and nutrition among children.
The current prevalence of obesity is worrying with evidence indicating that one in three
children is either overweight or obese thereby creating the issue of obesity epidemic.
Furthermore, this weight increase constitutes disposition of visceral fat that further leads to
metabolic distress as well as chronic diseases. Research indicates that obesity is major risk factor
in type 2 diabetes and significant contributor to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases,
hypertension, cancer and stroke. (2) Alternatively, children who are overweight or obese
experience diminished quality of life and other psychological implications such as decreased
self-esteem and depressive symptoms, and being socially ostracized. (3)
In light of such evidence, there is dire need to ensure that children are exposed to a school
setting that supports health and nutrition promotion by implementing evidence-based action plan.

A substantially confluent program that promotes health and eradicates associated effects of
unhealthy eating is therefore warranted. The targeted goals for such a program should include;
I. Reduce energy intake by minimizing consumption of energy-dense foods
II. Increase the intake of high-nutrient foods such as fruits and vegetables
III. Limit consumption of foods that have high content of sugar
IV. Enhance nutritional knowledge
2.0 Evidence-Based Strategies
2.1 Nutrition-Friendly Schools Initiative (NFSI)
The NFSI approach was confounded on the need to address the global public health and
its success lies within school-based programs that offer direct access to children in a bid to
promote healthy dietary and physical habits. In this light, this strategy basically serves as a
framework to interconnect developed school-based programs that are aimed towards health
promotion. It thus connects the local community, teachers, parents, associated private and public
organizations, and children. Additionally, this program has the ability to create an enabling
environment that can promote health and nutritional well-being of children who are engaged in
the program. (4)
There are several core components associated with this approach including; a well-
written nutrition-friendly school policy, creating a supportive school environment, developing
health and nutrition promoting curriculum and providing supportive nutrition services. A
nutrition policy in this case should cover healthy diets and desirable eating practices which
ideally revolve around the consumption of fruits and vegetables and limited intake energy dense