School-Based Health Promotion Programmes and the Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases among Adolescents in Developing Countries

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become a major public health challenge among adolescents in developing countries due to increasing exposure to unhealthy lifestyles and behavioral risk factors. This review examined school-based health promotion programmes and their role in preventing non-communicable diseases among adolescents in developing countries. The study specifically explored major NCD risk factors affecting adolescents, assessed the effectiveness of school-based health promotion interventions, and identified challenges affecting programme implementation and sustainability. A systematic literature review design was adopted using secondary data obtained from peer-reviewed journal articles, institutional reports, and scholarly publications retrieved from major electronic databases. The review included studies published between 2010 and 2026 focusing on adolescents aged 10–19 years within developing countries. Findings from the review revealed that physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary practices, obesity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and mental health disorders were the major non- communicable disease risk factors affecting adolescents. The findings further demonstrated that school-based health promotion programmes significantly improved healthy dietary behaviors, increased physical activity participation, reduced substance abuse, and enhanced mental health outcomes among adolescents. Multi-component interventions integrating nutrition education, physical activity promotion, mental health support, and behavioral change communication were found to be more effective than isolated interventions. However, several barriers including inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, weak policy implementation, insufficient teacher training, shortage of mental health professionals, and socio-cultural challenges negatively affected programme implementation in developing countries. The review concluded that school-based health promotion programmes are essential strategies for preventing non-communicable diseases among adolescents. Strengthening policy support, increasing investment in adolescent health programmes, improving school infrastructure, and promoting intersectoral collaboration are necessary for enhancing programme effectiveness and reducing future NCD burdens among adolescents in developing countries.