Abstract
Social and environmental factors such as families, schools, and communities are complexly involved in the growth of children and adolescents. School is one of the best places to mediate because it is a place where students live for many hours of the day and healthy lifestyles can be formed through various physical activities and school meals. Therefore, this study aimed to scientifically the effect after establishing a school-based meal intervention and nutrition education model. A program consisting of meal intervention and nutrition education was conducted for 6 months for 478 second and third graders of elementary school. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated by dividing it into three groups according to weight status. After intervention, there was a significant change in the distribution of obesity. The BMI z-score and body fat rates in the underweight and normal weight groups increased, and there was no significant change in the overweight group. The school meal intake rate increased significantly in all three groups, and some snack choices improved in terms of eating habits. Through this program, it can be used as basic data for establishing a system for the formation and growth of proper eating habits of children and adolescents and spreading and applying them in the field in the future.