Multidimensional Indicators for Sustainable School Feeding: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Nutrition and Dietetics
• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Food Systems Analysis

Background:

• School feeding programs are crucial for child development and promoting sustainable diets.
• Assessing the sustainability of these programs is essential for their long-term success and impact.
• Existing research often focuses on specific dimensions, lacking a holistic approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review to identify indicators used for assessing the sustainability of school feeding programs.
• To map the sustainability dimensions and specific indicators employed in the literature.
• To identify gaps in the assessment of school feeding program sustainability.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
• Searched multiple databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Lilacs, Embase) and other sources for relevant literature.
• Included full-text articles in any language using objective indicators to assess school feeding sustainability.

Main Results:

• 34 reports published between 2010-2024 were included.
• The environmental dimension (31 reports) and health-nutritional dimension (19 reports) were most frequently assessed.
• Greenhouse gas emissions (environmental) and nutritional composition of meals (health-nutritional) were primary indicators; few studies used integrated sustainability scales.

Conclusions:

• School feeding sustainability assessments predominantly focus on environmental and health-nutritional aspects.
• There is a significant gap in research addressing the economic, sociocultural, and political dimensions of school feeding sustainability.
• Future research should develop and utilize integrated scales and indices to comprehensively evaluate program sustainability.