Introduction to the School Lunch Program and Nutrition Education Program in the United States: Initiatives of Milwaukee Public Schools

Abstract Background Since the risk of noncommunicable diseases is closely associated with dietary intake, it is important to establish healthy dietary habits in childhood. Although several dietary education programs for children have been attempted, their implementation at school was often difficult due to overcrowded study curricula. We developed a new program which included homework for children and guardians, and evaluated its effect. Determinants of the effect were also investigated. Methods The school-based nutrition education program including a 45-min lecture, a series of homework assignments involving children and guardians, and two handouts was implemented in 14 public primary schools in Japan. Seven schools each underwent the intervention in an alternating manner. Nutrition knowledge (percentage (%) of correct answers in the nutrition knowledge questionnaire) and attitude/behavior toward diet was evaluated three times (May (baseline), October, February) as outcomes. These factors and their changes following the intervention were assessed by linear mixed models to adjust for individual factors, with consideration to clustering of the participants and repeated measurements. Results In total, 2227 children aged 10–12 years and their guardians participated. All schools completed the program. Children’s nutrition knowledge level was significantly increased (8.7%, 95% confidence interval [7.7–9.7]) following the intervention. Communication between children and their guardians, which was positively related with nutrition knowledge, was facilitated by the intervention. The increase in nutrition knowledge was greater among children with a lower knowledge level at baseline. Conclusions This school-based nutrition education program was effective and feasible. Appropriate teaching materials for homework can reduce the burden on schools and facilitate communication between children and guardians. Public schools can be crucial venues for decreasing disparities in nutrition knowledge. Trial registration This study was registered as an intervention study in the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (trial ID: UMIN000029252) on Sep 22, 2017.

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INTEGRATION OF SERVICE LEARNING INTO THREE DIETETIC COURSES CONNECTING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WITH ELEMENTARY NUTRITION EDUCATION AND SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

Journal of the American Dietetic Association ◽

10.1016/s0002-8223(08)70326-2 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 103 ◽

pp. 203-204

Author(s):

L.G. Lambert ◽

K.A. Gabel

Keyword(s):

Service Learning ◽

University Students ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

School Lunch ◽

School Lunch Program ◽

Lunch Program

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The Reform of School Catering in Hungary: Anatomy of a Health-Education Attempt

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11040716 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 716 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Anna Kiss ◽

József Popp ◽

Judit Oláh ◽

Zoltán Lakner

Keyword(s):

Human Resources ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Education Program ◽

Institutional Economics ◽

School Lunch ◽

Public Pressure ◽

Nutrition Education Program ◽

The Government ◽

Nutrition Standards

School lunch nutrition standards are an important carrier of messages on healthy eating and an efficient way of changing the nutritional behaviour of new generations. Many countries in Europe have a compulsory system of school meals; the Hungarian government also wanted to take action in order to improve the nutrition requirements of the school catering service. The Hungarian Ministry of Human Resources established some limits in the school catering system. However, increasing public pressure forced the legislating organ to considerably modify this regulation. The aim of this study is to analyse the causes of this failure, based on a conceptual framework of institutional economics and a strategic modelling of different institutes by examining the results of 72 interviews (33 experts, 26 parents and 13 teachers) conducted with representatives of different stakeholders. The results highlight the lack of preparation for the introduction of the new regulatory framework, as well as the inefficient communication between the different stakeholders. In order to support children in eating healthfully, a complex nutrition education program and continuous dialogue is needed between teachers, parents, catering staff and the government.

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Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010

The Journal of School Nursing ◽

10.1177/1059840511413390 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 27 (6) ◽

pp. 401-403 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jessica L. Prokop ◽

Patricia Galon

Keyword(s):

Eating Habits ◽

School Lunch ◽

The United States ◽

School Nurses ◽

National School Lunch Program ◽

Activity Levels ◽

School Lunch Program ◽

National School ◽

Healthy Eating Habits ◽

Lunch Program

Implementation of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 will provide an opportunity for school nurses to intervene in the serious childhood obesity problem in the United States. Major changes in the management of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) will likely challenge schools yet may provide the impetus for a collaborative effort by the interdisciplinary school staff and parents to make a real difference for children. School nurses must use this occasion for a change to promote healthy eating habits and increased physical activity levels for students to carry into adulthood.

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Evaluation of the National School Lunch Program at a Public Charter School in Duval County, Jacksonville, Florida, USA

EAST AFRICAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ◽

10.46606/eajess2021v02i03.0112 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (Issue 3) ◽

pp. 141-150

Author(s):

Emerson Reid ◽

Vencie B. Allida

Keyword(s):

Eating Habits ◽

School Lunch ◽

The United States ◽

National School Lunch Program ◽

For Profit ◽

School Lunch Program ◽

National School ◽

School Day ◽

Lunch Program ◽

Goals And Objectives

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is the second largest meal program in the United States, operating in Elementary, Secondary and not for profit private schools. The goals and objectives of the NSLP is to provide free, healthy, nutritious and balanced meals to students each school day so they can develop into healthy adults. This study sought to assess whether the goals and objectives of the NSLP were being met. A mixed method with a convergent design was employed with a sample of 30 students and 2 staff. Findings revealed that majority of students believed that meals served are healthy, nutritious and balanced and are served timely. Majority of the respondents indicated that staff and servers in the school cafeteria are friendly and accommodating. It can be deduced from the findings that the school met the objectives of the program to a great extent but there is room for improvement since there are students who were served with nutritional foods but still did not consume portions of it. It is therefore recommended that the school incorporate healthy eating habits in the school’s curriculum including health education and promotions, which can help to boost consumption and increase the nutritional intake of vital nutrients in students.

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Unplanned School Closures in the United States: Evaluation of Economic and Social Costs and Consequences for Students’ Families

Online Journal of Public Health Informatics ◽

10.5210/ojphi.v7i1.5727 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yenlik Zheteyeva ◽

Margaret Coleman ◽

JianRong Shi ◽

Hongjiang Gao ◽

Amra Uzicanin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Disease Transmission ◽

Influenza Pandemic ◽

The United States ◽

Social Costs ◽

Full Time ◽

School Closures ◽

School Lunch Program ◽

Influenza Activity ◽

Lunch Program

School closures implemented pre-emptively, before the peak of influenza activity, are an effective mitigation strategy to slow disease transmission during influenza pandemic. Prolonged school closures may impose unintended economic and social costs to students families. To better understand this unintended impact, we conducted household surveys in five different regions of the United States following school closures implemented for various reasons. One of the primary challenges for families during unplanned school closures is making emergency childcare arrangements. While the most frequently childcare is provided by a non-working household member, this option is not available for families where all adults are employed full-time. Although disruption of subsidized school lunch program did not appear as a difficulty for the majority of eligible families during these school closures, more research might be needed on closures that last longer than 7 days.

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