INTRODUCTION:

The eating habits of children and adolescents in Portugal are inadequate, contributing to excess weight and the appearance of comorbidities. The ecological theory of development states that these habits are influenced by several factors, such as the school (microsystem) and policies (exosystem). The "school" is essential for implementing nutrition and food policies with a view to health promotion.

OBJECTIVES:

To create a School Nutrition and Food Policy model.

METHODOLOGY:

To create a School Nutrition and Food Policy model a research has been made in databases (Scopus, PubMed and Google Academic) according to the the Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes recommendations, using a research term: (student OR school) AND (nutrition OR food) AND policy, with time limit from 2010 to 2020 and article template standards: clinical trials and analyzes.

RESULTS:

The School Nutrition and Food Policy model assumes a coordination by a multidisciplinary team, and it is divided into two axes: school food environment (legal regulations and strategic benchmarks relating to school meals, canteens, buffets and food and drink vending machines; use of food programs; marketing of food and drink; regulation of food on offer at school on special occasions) and school community (food education, liaison with school health services; liaison with governing organizations, collaborating entities and/or catering companies).

CONCLUSIONS:

The existence of a School Nutrition and Food Policy model is fundamental for the development of intervention strategies in schools. However, the effectiveness of the strategies based on the School Nutrition and Food Policy model has not yet been determined. It is in the development of a pilot strategy in two school groups of Matosinhos, which serve to test this model.

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