BACKGROUND: The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) summer meal programs are designed to provide meals at no cost while school is out of session. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several regulatory waivers were enacted to facilitate meal distribution. The aim of this study was to assess the rates of meal distribution before and after these…

Background: Schools are a promising site for influencing the dietary intake of children and adolescents. The US Department of Agriculture recently released flexibilities to requirements for whole-grains, sodium, and low-fat milk in schools who demonstrated difficulty meeting nutrition standards for school meal programs. The support of School…

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNGA, 1989) clearly spells out the significance of early child development (ECD). Through a descriptive comparative study, and by randomized control trial, the researcher investigates if free school feeding programs affect children enrollment at ECD centers in rural communities taking the case of Maraba…

Background: Adolescents frequently miss breakfast which may impact cognitive, academic, and health outcomes. This analysis describes the effect of a trial to assess school level changes to increase breakfast consumption on grade point average (GPA). Methods: Sixteen rural Minnesota high schools were randomized to a policy and environmental change…

For Chicago to be a strong and vibrant city, it needs to invest in communities, families, and children. Access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to be healthy is key for all children to realize their full potential and contribute to a vibrant city. Studies have consistently documented the powerful connection between health and…

The next President of the United States has an enormous responsibility--and opportunity--to provide an equitable foundation for a new generation of learners. The magnitude of the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the importance of schools as community anchors that children and families rely on for much more than an education. This document…

Schools are the ideal setting for combining state health and education goals for all children. Children and adolescents spend more time in schools than in any other environment outside of their homes. They also form foundational health habits during their school years. By emphasizing school health and wellness, state leadership can support both…

In March of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic upended our country, leading to a hunger and education crisis like we have never seen before. This report reflects on the role schools play in supporting a culture of wellness; the opportunities, trends, barriers and reasons why schools have been the great equalizer in America, where the minority is the…

Schools play a critical role in improving the dietary and physical activity behaviors of students. Schools can create an environment supportive of students' efforts to eat healthily and be active by implementing policies and practices that support healthy eating and regular physical activity and by providing opportunities for students to learn…

The results of this study indicate that the establishment of a breakfast program in the secondary school serving the middle or high income district is a feasible solution to some of the adolescent nutrition problems

We examine the effect of the School Breakfast Program (SBP) availability with the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III. Our work builds on previous research by developing a transparent difference-in-differences strategy to account for unobserved differences between students with access to SBP and those without, using serum…

Compiled by the Bureau of Child Nutrition Programs, this booklet provides suggestions for initiating a sound nutritional school breakfast program. The following topics are covered in this booklet: nutritional requirements (sample menus, prepacked breakfasts); food service equipment; record keeping requirements; cost analysis and…

Noting that the School Breakfast Program provides breakfast to millions of low-income children who otherwise might go hungry in the morning and be less ready to learn, this report is the tenth from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) to report how well the program is reaching children in need. Data were obtained from state reports to the…

Current results suggest the need to reconsider the rationale of attempts to reinforce the nutritional status of many Negro and some white school children through the continued heavy reliance on school milk programs, and its strong emphasis on milk consumption. Presented at the American School Health Association, October, 1972. (Author)

The School Breakfast Program provides breakfast to millions of children from low-income families who otherwise might go hungry in the morning and be less ready to learn. This report is the eleventh from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) to examine the program, its benefits, and the performance of the nation and of each state in reaching…