Schools are an important setting for addressing childhood obesity. More than 54 million U.S. children attend school, and 8.4 million youth are in after-school programs located in schools, parks, and recreational centers. A substantial portion of school-aged children’s daily food and caloric intake occurs within the school and after-school environment. The aim of the research in this area is to understand how school and after-school food policies and environments can help prevent childhood obesity.
Fast Fact
School & After School
Research & Publications
January 2015
Recommendations for Responsible Food Marketing to Children
The marketing of unhealthy foods to children and youth is a major public health concern. Children in the United States grow up surrounded by food and beverage marketing, which primarily promotes products with excessive amounts of added sugar, salt, and fat, and inadequate amounts of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. … More
March 2019
Conducting a Large-Scale Surveillance of Public School Environments to Advance Wellness-Related Practices, With a Focus on Rural Schools
Rural disparities in health behaviors and weight status jeopardize the well-being of millions of Americans. Compared to urban children, rural children have higher rates of obesity and consume more calories, less fruit, and fewer vegetables. A health-promoting school environment can modify risk behaviors, and periodic assessment of school environments provides … More
February 2019
How a Public Health Goal Became a National Law: The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010
CSPI developed a case study that provides insights into policy strategy and advocacy best practices that resulted in passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA). The case study outlines key lessons to help inform nutrition and public health policy initiatives, as well as continued implementation and defense of … More
January 2019
State Policies on Testing Drinking Water for Lead in U.S. Schools
This Brief summarizes select characteristics of state-level policies and programs to test for lead in school drinking water. It is based on a study from researchers at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and the University of California Nutrition Policy Institute. The full results of the study, … More