Published: January 2016

ID #: 70549

Journal: JAMA Pediatr

Authors: Johnson DB, Podrabsky M, Rocha A, Otten JJ

See more related research

Share


The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA), which took effect at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year, updated the meal patterns and nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) to align with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This study assessed changes in energy and nutrient density of 1.7 million school meals and meal participation rates before and after implementation of the HHFKA. Researchers analyzed foods selected by 7,200 middle and high school students in a diverse urban school district in Washington state from January 2011 to January 2014, which spans 16 months before and 15 months after implementation of the updated standards. The nutritional quality of the foods students chose was calculated by assessing the amount of calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, fiber, and protein in each item; and the calorie content of the foods served was assessed by calculating the energy density (amount of calories per gram) of each food item. Researchers found that the nutritional quality of meals selected by students significantly improved following the new meal standards, and the new standards had no effect on school lunch participation.

Related Research

December 2012

Evaluating the Long-Term Impact on Obesity and Nutrition of Menu Labeling in Schools

The quality and impact of school meal programs could be improved by menu labeling policies, but there is little research about nutrition labeling in schools. This project will utilize existing data as well as ongoing data collection to study the nutritional quality of foods selected by students in a diverse urban school district in Washington More

June 2024

CACFP Family Childcare Home Sponsor Perspectives – Serious Deficiency Challenges

The federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, commonly known as CACFP, ensures over 4.2 million children, mostly in families with low income, receive nutritious meals and snacks in childcare. However, not all qualifying childcare providers participate in this beneficial program. Research suggests that the serious deficiency process, designed to ensure program integrity, may hinder More

April 2024

Mixed methods evaluation of the COVID-19 changes to the WIC cash-value benefit for fruits and vegetables

Recent cash-value benefit (CVB) increases are a positive development to help increase WIC participant fruits and vegetables (FV) access. This mixed method study aimed to evaluate (a) the CVB changes’ impact on FV access among WIC child participants measured by CVB redemption rates, (b) facilitators and barriers to CVB changes’ implementation, and (c) differences in More