School-based nutrition interventions conducted in Greece and the Republic of Cyprus: a scoping review

Objectives School nutrition programs assist towards ensuring access to nutrient-dense meals as well as reducing food access inequities. Following the economic crisis, state-driven nutrition interventions have continued to expand in Greece and the Republic of Cyprus. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesize the characteristics, theoretical frameworks, delivery methods and reported outcomes of school-based nutrition interventions conducted in Greece and Cyprus. Materials and methods A scoping review was conducted across 13 databases for relevant intervention studies published up to and including April 2026 following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews and the Arksey and O’Malley framework. Results A total of 21 articles were included in this review. The majority of studies ( n = 19) were conducted in Greece and only two in Cyprus. The duration of the interventions varied considerably (1 month-6 years). The theoretical frameworks identified included: Social Cognitive Theory ( n = 3), Theory of Planned Behavior ( n = 2), and Social Learning Theory ( n = 2). Several reported favorable changes in body mass index (BMI) ( n = 8), physical activity levels ( n = 3), dietary intake ( n = 11) (including fruit and vegetable consumption and Mediterranean-diet adherence) and nutrition-related knowledge. A smaller number of studies ( n = 2) examined school food-aid programs and reported improvements in household food security. Null or mixed findings for anthropometric outcomes were also observed, particularly in shorter interventions. Conclusion The available studies frequently reported favorable changes in selected nutrition-related outcomes. However, substantial heterogeneity in intervention design, duration, target populations and outcome measures, the very limited evidence base from Cyprus, and the absence of formal critical appraisal preclude firm conclusions about comparative effectiveness. Future research should prioritize rigorous longitudinal designs, broader and standardized outcome assessment, and culturally tailored strategies to strengthen the evidence base for school-based nutrition programs in the region.