Evaluating Nutrition Policies and Practices in U.S. Secondary Schools

Start Date: September 2008

ID #: 65056

Principal Investigator: Marilyn Nanney, PhD, MPH, RD

Organization: University of Minnesota

Funding Round: New Connections Round 2

See more related research

Share

This aim of this work is to evaluate disparities in school-level nutrition policies and practices across the U.S. More specifically, the objective of this research is to (a) determine the prevalence of school-level nutrition policies and practices in a large sample of schools across multiple states stratified by school-level socioeconomic status, geographic location, and racial/ethnic composition, and (b) to identify associations between school-level nutrition policies and practices and these school-level characteristics. This policy analysis study will combine existing School Health Profiles survey data (2008) from secondary school principals and school level demographic data.

Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)

Keywords: Competitive foods, Food advertising, Fruits and vegetables, Snacks, Sugar-sweetened beverages, Vending machines

Focus Areas: Food Marketing, Pricing & Economics, School & After School

Resource Type: Grant Summary

Race/Ethnicity: Multi-racial/ethnic

State: National

Related Research

August 2013

Rural Disparities in the Distribution of Policies that Support Healthy Eating in U.S. Secondary Schools

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 included a mandate to school districts participating in the federal school meal program to establish and implement policies addressing wellness, including nutrition, by the start of the 2006-07 school year. Using data from the 2008 School Health Profiles principal survey for middle and junior/senior high schools More

December 2025

From Policy to Plate: Implications of 2025 U.S. Federal Policy Changes on School Meals

School meals are a cornerstone of the United States’ nutrition safety net for children from low-income families, providing nearly 30 million lunches daily. However, recent U.S. policy actions may limit access to school meals for children who need them most. This commentary, published in the Nutrients Special Issue The Influence of School Meals on Children More

December 2025

Ultra-Processed Foods in School Meals: Challenges and Opportunities

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are ubiquitous in the U.S. food supply, while growing evidence shows that UPFs harm children’s health. Schools offer a promising setting to introduce UPF regulation and reduce the availability of UPFs. This brief explores the issue of UPFs in school meals and identifies opportunities and challenges to replace UPFs with more fresh More