This paper documents the reliability of a new coding tool developed to evaluate the quality of school wellness policies. The 96-item coding tool assesses seven goal areas, and each of these goal areas was scored on the dimensions of comprehensiveness and strength. To evaluate reliability, researchers from four states coded a sample of 60 policies More
The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 mandated that school districts participating in any federally reimbursed school meal programs develop a local school wellness policy by the beginning of the 2006-07 school year. This brief, published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, summarizes key results from early research on the implementation of these More
This research synthesis reviews studies that have examined the use of menu labeling in away-from-home food establishments, such as restaurants and cafeterias, and the potential impact of labeling on consumers’ food and beverage selections.
This brief discusses key issue involved with foods distributed in school stores, concessions, and fundraising activities-venues for competitive foods. It outlines the legal and policy approaches to improving enforcement of school wellness policies and regulations, discusses what legal decision-making authority city officials, legislators, and community organizations have in the quality-improvement process, and discusses key barriers More
This brief discusses legal issues surrounding the provision of competitive foods in on-campus venues-including school stores and concessions and fundraising environments. Designed as a companion to Off the Map: Extracurricular School Food-School Stores, Concessions, and Fundraising, this document provides readers with the information needed to identify key legal access points for creating their own policies More
Schools have an unparalleled opportunity to promote children’s health by creating an environment in which children eat healthy foods, engage in regular physical activity, and learn life-long skills for healthy eating and active living. In this article, authors discuss the role of schools in obesity prevention efforts, current issues in schools’ food and physical activity More
This paper documents the effectiveness of the federal mandated Local Wellness Policy on 45 rural elementary schools in Colorado. Using baselines and follow-up surveys conducted up to one year after the Local Wellness Policy was implemented, researchers found that opportunities for physical activity did not change substantively. Interviews of sources revealed several barriers in improving More
Since children and adolescents spend a large amount of time each day at school and consume a substantial portion of their daily food intake there, it is critical to assess food and beverage availability and what youth are eating in this setting. The national School Nutrition Dietary Assessment (SNDA) studies provide a comprehensive picture of More
Using data from the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study, this study estimates the effects of school food environments on children’s consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, low-nutrient energy-dense foods and fruits and vegetables in school. The national study involved more than 2,300 children in 287 schools. Results demonstrated that sugar-sweetened beverages consumed at school contributed an More
Using data from the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study, this study estimates the association between school food environments and practices and children’s likelihood for obesity. (Obesity was defined as having a body mass index greater than the 95th percentile for their age.) The national study involved more than 2,200 children in 287 schools. The More
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