Start Date: October 2022

Organization: Boise State University and Duke University

Project Lead: Lindsey Turner, PhD and Hannah Lane, PhD, MPH

See more related research

Share


The goal of this convergent mixed-methods, multiple case-study project is to identify existing equity-focused strategies that can be used to address negative parental perceptions that may be scalable in resource-deprived areas, and to inform hypothesis-driven research on which strategies are most effective. The two objectives of the study are to: 1) Describe multi-level contextual factors that influence perceived meal quality (via parent survey, parent focus groups, and CNP personnel/vendor interviews); and 2) Identify strategies to address parental perceptions, and characterize by equity focus area (i.e., increase healthy options; reduce deterrents; improve social and economic resources; build community capacity). The subrecipient will recruit CNP personnel, vendors/distributors, and parents from six urban and rural positive deviant school districts in four states to achieve these objectives. In two of the four states, the subrecipient will ask state agency staff to nominate two additional urban and two additional rural districts that do not meet their definition of exemplar districts, such that there are four comparison districts. Only food service director interviews and parent surveys will be conducted in the comparison districts.

Related Research

November 2024

School-based nutrition education programs alone are not cost effective for preventing childhood obesity: a microsimulation study

Although interventions to change nutrition policies, systems, and environments (PSE) for children are generally cost effective for preventing childhood obesity, existing evidence suggests that nutrition education curricula, without accompanying PSE changes, are more commonly implemented. This study aimed to estimate the societal costs and potential for cost-effectiveness of 3 nutrition education curricula frequently implemented in More

November 2023

Assessing participation in and implementation of summer electronic-benefits-transfer and non-congregate-meal programs in rural areas

Summer EBT and non-congregate meals are summer meal options that have known associations with reducing food hardship and barriers to food access. But take-up can vary across states, which creates disparities among marginalized populations. The study aims to analyze the coverage, take-up, and implementation decisions made around Summer EBT and non-congregate meals. The research team More

November 2023

Examining the economic value of free school meals to inform future policy decisions on expansion of free school meals in the U.S.

Growing evidence suggests free school meal policies improve student health outcomes and nutrition equity. A key barrier to passage of these policies is concerns regarding potential costs, thus, a broader value for money evaluation is essential to inform policy decisions. This study aims to compare ‘intervention’ states with free school meal policies (i.e., universal free More