Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40796108›Full record

SynthesisNutrition reviews2026

An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews of School-Based Nutrition Interventions to Determine Outcomes Used and Their Measurement Tools.

Dilara Olgacher, Sarah Aldukair, Mike Clarke, Danielle McCarthy, Jayne V Woodside

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Nutrition reviews, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Dilara OlgacherCentre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-0175-9348
Sarah AldukairCentre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, United Kingdom.
Mike ClarkeCentre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, United Kingdom.
Danielle McCarthyInstitute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5AG, United Kingdom.
Jayne V WoodsideCentre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, United Kingdom.

Funding

Department for the EconomyDepartment for the Economy, Northern Ireland
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextSchool-based nutrition interventions have the potential to promote dietary behaviors and other outcomes among children and adolescents. However, inconsistent reporting of outcomes and measurement tools limits evidence synthesis and the identification of effective intervention strategies.

objectiveThis umbrella review aimed to synthesize the range of outcomes related to diet, health, well-being, and education reported in systematic reviews of school-based nutrition interventions, along with the measurement tools used. The findings will be used to inform the development of a Core Outcome Set (COS) to guide future evaluations in this field. DATA SOURCES: We conducted a systematic search across 7 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus) to identify systematic reviews published from January 2018 to December 2023. DATA EXTRACTION: Data on outcomes related to diet, health, well-being, and education were extracted from eligible systematic reviews. When available, information on outcome measurement tools was also extracted. Additional details were retrieved from primary studies referenced within systematic reviews as needed. DATA ANALYSIS: Ninety-eight systematic reviews, comprising 965 unique studies, were included. Outcomes were categorized into 4 domains: (1) "diet" (68.8%), subdivided into "dietary intake" and "diet-related cognitive/attitudinal behaviors"; (2) "physical health" (44.8%), subdivided into "body composition" and "clinical/biochemical measures"; (3) "social and emotional well-being and behavior" (9.2%); and (4) "education" (6.4%). Substantial heterogeneity was observed across outcome domains, subdomains, and measurement tools, which presents challenges for evidence synthesis and limits comparability across studies.

conclusionsThe findings of this review underscore the need for a stakeholder-informed, context-aware COS to standardize outcome reporting in school-based nutrition interventions. Such standardization is essential to improve the comparability of research findings, enhance evidence synthesis, and facilitate the translation of evidence into policy and practice. Subsequent phases of this work will involve diverse stakeholder engagement to finalize the COS and recommend appropriate tools for outcome measurement for evaluating school-based nutrition interventions. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration No. CRD42022378746.

Indexed as

DietHealth PromotionOutcome Assessment, Health CareSchool Health ServicesSchoolsAdolescentChildEvidence GapsHumansSystematic Reviews as Topicadolescentschildrennutrition interventionoutcomesschool

Identifiers

PMID40796108
PMCPMC13253020

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.