Updated Nutrition Standards for School Meals Associated With Improved Weight Outcomes for Boys in Elementary School

J Sch Health. 2019 Nov;89(11):907-915. doi: 10.1111/josh.12828. Epub 2019 Sep 2.

Abstract

Background: In response to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the US Department Agriculture updated the nutrition standards for school meals to improve nutrition-related health outcomes for children. This study assesses the association between implementation of the updated nutrition standards and child weight.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design and multivariate regression analysis is used to compare longitudinal changes in BMI z-scores for school lunch participants and nonparticipants across 2 nationally representative third grade cohorts of children-those exposed to the updated standards (N = 5480) and those not exposed (N = 9240).

Results: Boys who ate school lunches after implementation of the updated standards experienced slower BMI z-score growth than did nonparticipants; participants' BMI z-scores increased by 0.10 compared with 0.18 for nonparticipants. We find no relationship between school lunch participation and BMI z-scores for girls.

Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the updated nutrition standards for school meals are associated with improved weight outcome for boys, but have no effect for girls, 1 year after implementation. These findings are encouraging and provide support for continued focus on improving the nutritional quality of school meals.

Keywords: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010; nutrition and diet; school food services; school health policy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Body Mass Index
  • Body Weight*
  • Child
  • Energy Intake
  • Food Services / standards*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nutrition Policy
  • Nutritional Requirements
  • Nutritive Value*
  • Schools*
  • United States