Environmental unpredictability has become a crisis for the 21st century. In response, organizations from the local to international level are addressing the issues by creating, supporting, and promoting initiatives. Schools and school leaders play an important role in this work. An example of a multi-scaled initiative is the U.S. Department of…

Background: Availability and quality of nutrition-related health-promoting interventions (N-HPIs) vary across primary schools. We examined whether school contextual factors (e.g., socioeconomic deprivation) were associated with N-HPI availability in Quebec, Canada, and whether available N-HPIs incorporated evidence-based implementation…

There is a critical need to address educator health and well-being, yet only an average of 31% of schools offer workplace health and wellness promotion programs. As part of the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace -- a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Center of Excellence for Total Worker Health®…

Background: Health promotion programs and interventions are designed to encourage behavioral changes in children, encouraging them to make safe and healthy life choices. This systematic review seeks to examine how social impact is measured in primary school health promotion interventions. Method: A systematic search and review process was used to…

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a nutrition education programme conducted during health education lessons on students' adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and their body mass index (BMI). Design: Quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test research design: two study conditions (intervention and control groups). Setting: Two urban schools, the…

A growing divide in physical activity amongst youth, fueled by the privatization of youth athletic programs, most negatively impacts underrepresented students. Intramural-sports programs hold the potential to engage more of our youth in physical activity, including those from marginalized populations. Utilizing a collective impact approach,…

This study is the first evaluation of Hopeful Minds: a novel school-based mental health promotion programme designed for children and pre-adolescents. Ten hope theory-based lessons were assessed. A mixed-methodology design was used with a sample of 127 participants (88 pre/post; 39 focus groups), aged 8-13 years. In the pre/post-study, there were…

Background: Youth from low-income, racially and ethnically diverse families are at increased risk for academic challenges and nutritionally inadequate diets. Summer programs offer an opportunity to foster interest and engage students in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) education while addressing summer learning loss.…

Emerging research indicates that chronic illnesses exacerbated by obesity begin in childhood. While research continues to show that consumption of fruits and vegetables can lower rates of obesity, children in the United States often fall short of consuming the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Youth nutrition education and cooking…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a school nurse-led mindfulness program in a public school. Elementary students in an urban public school system are exposed to many stressors including poverty, family disturbances, and mental health conflicts. Previous research suggests that mindfulness interventions given by teachers…

There has been an emphasis on schools to promote healthy lifestyles and many intervention programmes have attempted this. Most programmes are evaluated at the time and/or shortly afterwards. This is a review of the impact and sustainability of the Health for Life programme 2--5 years after the initial phase. It captures the experiences of the…

Background: The study objective was to determine impact of a Farm-to-School intervention on low-income, diverse elementary school students' nutrition-related attitudes, self-efficacy, behaviors, and locally grown vegetable choices. Methods: Six elementary schools within 1 US school district were equally assigned to 1 of 3 conditions--Local…

As the nation transitions from responding to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to navigating its ongoing impact on youth and their communities, K-12 students continue to experience mental health and wellbeing challenges. In the fall of 2021, Redwood City School District (RCSD) placed a full-time, district-employed mental health counselor in each…

Background: High volumes of school-based sedentary time may impact academic achievement and executive function negatively. This study evaluated a multimodal classroom program's (POWER) effect on fifth graders' physical activity (PA) and executive function. Methods: Six 5th grade classes (3 = intervention [POW]; 3 = waitlist control [CONT]) in 2…

Background: While dietary sources of calcium are important for bone health, the intake of milk and milk products decreases as children get older. A free milk in schools program may mitigate this decrease in milk consumption. We evaluated the Fonterra Milk for schools program (a free milk initiative) by determining changes in children's milk…