This study will develop and validate a photo-evidence method to measure effectiveness of water access in schools since the Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires that potable water be available to children at no charge during mealtimes in areas where meals are served. The aims of this study are to: 1) develop and validate a protocol for photographing and coding characteristics of effective water access in schools; 2) assess feasibility of national implementation of this method using students as data-collectors; 3) investigate potential applications of the methodology by likely end-users; and 4) explore barriers to and develop preliminary recommendations for effective drinking water access in schools. The tool development and validation study will take place in 30 schools in San Francisco, Calif., representing a variety of free drinking water sources, and the feasibility testing will take place in 50 schools representing different school types, four regional U.S. Census Bureau divisions, and different proportions of students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch.
Developing, Validating and Feasibility Testing a Cost-Effective Photo-Evidence Method to Assess Effectiveness of Access to Drinking Water in Schools
Start Date: February 2016
ID #: 73392
Principal Investigator: Lorrene Ritchie, PhD, RD
Organization: University of California
Funding Round: Round 9
Focus Areas: Beverages, School & After School
States: National, California
Age Groups: Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8), Adolescents (grades 9 to 12)
Resource Type: Grant Summary
Race/Ethnicity: Multi-racial/ethnic
Keywords: Food service, School meal programs, Sugar-sweetened beverages, Water
Related Research
August 2019
Training High School Student “Citizen Scientists” to Document School Water Access: A Feasibility Study
Youth water consumption is inadequate. Increasing adolescent water consumption could support decreased dental caries and body mass index (BMI). Most schools are required to provide free, potable water. However, there is evidence that schools’ self-reported compliance data overestimate access to water in schools. We tested the feasibility of using student … More
March 2021
Special Issue on School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-I: Findings Related to Improving Diet Quality, Weight, and Disparities in U.S. Children
School meals are important contributors to the healthy diets of our nation’s children, especially those in food insecure households, according to new papers published in a special issue of the journal Nutrients. The papers address urgent policy challenges related to food security, childhood obesity, sugar consumption, and racial and ethnic … More
October 2020
Identifying geographic differences in children’s sugar‐sweetened beverage and 100% fruit juice intake using health system data
This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of using health system data to examine the geographic distribution of sugar‐sweetened beverage intake and evaluate neighborhood characteristics associated with intake. Researchers extracted electronic health record data from a sugar‐sweetened beverage and 100% fruit juice screener used for children ages 1 to 17 years in … More