Nutrition Promotion in School-Aged Children and Adolescents

Nutrition Promotion in School-Aged Children and Adolescents

Promoting nutrition in school-aged children and adolescents is essential for their development, growth, and overall quality of life. It also contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically:

• Goal 2: Zero Hunger – End hunger, achieve food security, and improve nutrition.

• Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being – Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

This initiative aligns with the National Nutrition Action Plan (2023–2027), which aims to reduce the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and stunting in school-aged children and adolescents while encouraging appropriate growth and development.

Key Strategies for Implementation 

1. Promoting Nutritional Literacy

• Develop curricula on food and nutrition management for schools and communities, tailored for teachers and staff. This includes providing educational materials, such as guidelines, books, pamphlets, video clips, and infographics shared through various platforms.

• Enhance communication about nutritional knowledge during key events, such as National Children’s Day, World Obesity Day, and World Milk Day.

2. Developing Nutritional Guidelines

• Collaborate with experts to develop food-based dietary guidelines for school-aged children and adolescents. This includes designing "Nutrition Flags" tailored for children aged 6-11 and adolescents aged 12-18.

• Develop manuals on managing overnutrition in schools, obesity intervention in health services, and screening criteria to ensure timely care for at-risk children.

3. Promoting Quality School Lunches

• Establish and maintain nutritional standards for school lunches, and review the weekly menu on a regular basis to ensure a nutritionally balanced diet.

• Develop guidelines for implementing "Healthy Canteens" in secondary schools.

• Encourage the use of the Thai School Lunch program to help plan and control the nutritional quality of school meals.

4. Monitoring Growth and Nutritional Status

• Regularly monitor and evaluate the growth and nutritional status of children, using the growth reference standards (2021) for children aged 6-19, to assess and guide their development.

5. Preventing and Controlling Childhood Obesity

• Implement actions based on the WHO-ECHO framework by collaborating with committees and subcommittees to drive the prevention and control of childhood obesity through focusing on four key systems:

  1. Improving the management of school lunches and snacks

  2. Regulating the marketing of unhealthy foods – high in fat, sugar, and sodium

  3. Strengthening nutrition-related health services to screen and refer children with obesity

  4. Creating environments that encourage physical activity.

6. Creating a Supportive Environment for Healthy Food in Schools

• Foster healthy eating environments by collaborating with the Office of the Basic Education Commission to develop criteria for cooperative store models in schools

• Promote compliance with the Ministry of Education’s regulations on the sale of healthy foods and beverages in schools (B.E. 2564).

7. Building Capacity

• Enhance the knowledge and skills of teachers and school staff in managing food and nutrition for school-aged children and adolescents.

Our comprehensive and collaborative efforts aim to improve the nutritional of children and adolescents, fostering a healthier, more resilient generation equipped to thrive both academically and physically.