Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Background: Promoting child health through school-based interventions has emerged as an effective strategy to address rising rates of childhood obesity, poor nutrition, mental health challenges, and sedentary behaviors. School nurses, as trusted health professionals within educational settings, are uniquely positioned to implement evidence-based, multi-component health promotion programs.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term impacts of school nurse-led health promotion programs on the physical, mental, and behavioral wellbeing of children in primary school settings.
Methods: A quasi-experimental longitudinal design was employed in ten randomly selected schools, involving 800 students aged 6-12 years. The intervention consisted of structured weekly health promotion sessions over 12 months, focusing on nutrition education, physical activity, mental health support, hygiene practices, and routine health screening. Outcomes assessed included BMI z-scores, mental health (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), physical activity levels, fruit and vegetable intake, and screen time. Data were collected at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and logistic regression.
Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed across all outcome variables. Mean BMI z-scores decreased steadily from baseline to 12 months, accompanied by a reduction in overweight/obesity prevalence. SDQ scores improved, indicating enhanced psychosocial wellbeing. Behavioral measures showed increased physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake, along with reduced daily screen time. Effect sizes ranged from small to moderate, and program fidelity contributed to consistent effects across diverse school settings.
Conclusion: School nurse-led health promotion programs demonstrate significant long-term benefits for children’s health and wellbeing. Integrating structured, nurse-led interventions into routine school activities can create sustainable changes in health behaviors and support early prevention of lifestyle-related conditions. Strengthening policy frameworks, training nurses, involving families, and ensuring sustained program implementation can enhance the scalability and effectiveness of such interventions. These findings support positioning school nurse-led programs as a cornerstone of child public health strategies.