Eating School Meals Daily Is Associated with Healthier Dietary Intakes: The Healthy Communities Study

Published: March 2018

ID #: 73272

Journal: J Acad Nutr Diet

Authors: Au LE, Gurzo K, Gosliner W, Webb KL, Crawford PB, Ritchie LD

See more related research

Share

This study examines the association between frequency of participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and children’s dietary intakes. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Dietary Screener Questionnaire was used to measure dietary intake of fruit and vegetables, fiber, whole grains, dairy, calcium, total added sugar, sugar-sweetened beverages, and energy-dense foods. The study found children who ate school breakfast every day, compared with children who ate school breakfast 0-4 days per week, reported consuming more fruits and vegetables, dietary fiber, whole grains, dairy, and calcium. Children who ate school lunch every day, compared to those who ate less frequently, consumed more dairy and calcium. Overall, eating school breakfast and lunch every day was found to be associated with modestly higher dietary intakes.

Read the Article

Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)

Keywords: Fruits and vegetables, School meal programs

Resource Type: Journal Article

Race/Ethnicity: Multi-racial/ethnic

State: National

Focus Area: School & After School

Related Research

January 2016

Examining the Association Between Schools’ Nutrition Environment and Children’s Weight Status by Income and Race/Ethnicity

There is interest among school administrators, researchers, and policymakers for information to guide choices in selecting school-based nutrition interventions and efficiently allocating resources. This study will systematically evaluate the nutrition strategies that schools across the country have initiated for obesity prevention to determine which school nutrition programs and policies are associated with higher or lower More

November 2022

Promising Strategies to Increase Student Participation in School Meals

School meal programs play a critical role in feeding children. Meals served in school are generally of better nutritional quality than those that students bring from home and have been linked to improved academic performance and household food security. The aim of this research brief is to highlight and summarize rigorous evidence from a new More

August 2022

Costs, Reach, and Benefits of COVID-19 Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer and Grab-and-Go School Meals for Ensuring Youths’ Access to Food During School Closures

School meals are associated with improved nutrition and health for millions of US children, but school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted children’s access to school meals. Two policy approaches, the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program, which provided the cash value of missed meals directly to families on debit-like cards to use for More