TITLE: ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF AN EDUCATIONAL MARKETING MEDIA
INTERVENTION ON SCHOOL LUNCH PARTICIPATION RATES AT AN UPSTATE NY SCHOOL
DISTRICT.
AUTHOR(S): J. Gibberman, MS, K. McComb, MS, RD, The Sage Colleges, Troy, NY
LEARNING OUTCOME: Participants will learn three factors that attribute to low school lunch
participation in an upstate NY school district and one method to improve participation.
ABSTRACT: An upstate New York school district has lost money due to recent changes in school food
service requirements and has been unable to break even in foodservice operation costs. School lunch
participation rates have been found to be dependent on multiple factors including variety, satisfaction
with food quality and effective marketing strategies.1 The goal of this study was to assess factors that
potentially influence school foodservice participation rates in middle and high school, and to measure
changes in school lunch participation after viewing educational marketing videos. Enrollment rates are
1,625 and 2,125 for middle and high school students respectively. A 5-item school foodservice survey
was administered to 190 (12%) middle school and 119 (5.6%) high school students to assess perceived
quality and healthfulness of school lunch and knowledge of required meal components. Participation rates
were measured by the number of students who purchased a full meal, i.e., those who selected at least 3
meal components offered. Teachers distributed the surveys in the classrooms for a period of 3 days. Two
similar school lunch educational and marketing videos (2:40 minutes in length for high school and 3:57
minutes in length for middle school) were produced and aired to all students in both the middle and high
school during class time. Additionally, a video board containing a PowerPoint that summarized the same
educational and marketing information content that was presented in the educational marketing videos
was displayed during all high school lunch periods over 18 days. Of middle school students surveyed 84
(44%) indicated the food was of low quality, 99 (52%) mediocre quality, and 7 (4%) high quality. High
school student’s responses were divided equally between low quality (59; 50%) and mediocre quality (60;
50%). None perceived the food to be of high quality. Sixty-nine (36%) middle school students and 27
(23%) high school students did not know what constituted a complete meal. Of middle and high school
students that identified themselves as eating in the school cafeteria ≥ 50% of the time (n=182), 66 (36%)
students did not think the cafeteria food is healthy. Lunch participation rates the day after airing the
educational videos increased by 11 (506 to 517 meals purchased) in the middle school and decreased by
169 (826 to 657 meals purchased) in the high school for the same meal served the prior month.
Educational and marketing media aimed at students may improve perceived quality and healthfulness of
school lunch and knowledge of required meal components in middle and high school students. Future
studies implementing more frequent and prolonged educational and marketing media interventions are
recommended to fully assess their impact on lunch participation.
1. Meyer MK, Conklin MT. (1998). Variables affecting high school students’ perceptions of school
foodservice. J Am Diet Assoc. 1998;12:1424-1431.