Dr. Kelli Komro Co-Author of Cochrane Systematic Review Researching Effectiveness of the Health Promoting School Approach.

Dr. Kelli Komro is a co-author of an important Cochrane systematic review that researched the effectiveness of interventions using the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) Health Promoting School (HPS) approach. The HPS approach includes health education in the curriculum; changing the school’s social or physical environment, or both; and involving families or the local community, or both. The Cochrane systematic review included 67 group randomized trials (randomized at the school or school district level), 1345 schools and 98 districts. The review determined that interventions using the HPS approach were effective for the following health outcomes: body mass index (BMI); physical activity and fitness; fruit and vegetable intake; cigarette use; and being bullied. They found little evidence, or did not have enough data, to draw conclusions about the HPS approach for the following health outcomes: fat intake; alcohol and drug use; mental health; violence; sexual health; and oral health. Additional research is needed to find out if this approach can improve these and other areas of child health and academic outcomes.