Start Date: November 2009

ID #: 66961

Principal Investigator: Michele Polacsek, PhD, MHS

Organization: Maine Center for Public Health

Funding Round: Round 4

See more related research

Share


Maine’s Chapter 156, the first statewide law banning junk food and beverage marketing in schools, went into effect in September 2007. No statewide policies to restrict marketing in schools exist or have been studied, and little is known about how best to create and implement marketing policy change in schools. In this study, investigators will assess compliance with Chapter 156 using a cross-sectional survey to observe school food marketing practices and assess perceptions of policies and changes since the inception of Chapter 156. Recommendations will be developed to improve legislation and school policies.

Related Research

March 2012

Examining Compliance with a Statewide Law Banning Junk Food and Beverage Marketing in Maine Schools

In 2007, Maine became the first state to pass legislation limiting the marketing of foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV) in public schools. This article describes compliance with this legislation and the nature and extent of junk food marketing in a representative statewide sample of high schools in Maine. Researchers found that posters and signs 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