Child Nutrition
Programs In Schools
Maryum Ijaz
Sociology of Food and Nutrition
4/25/2015
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Belief Systems
Heritage
Religion
Priorities
Lifestyle
Body image
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Social & Cultural
Norms & Values
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Sectors of Influence
Home
Schools
Workplaces
Recreational
Facilities
Foodservice & Retail
Establishments
Other Community
Settings
Environmental
Settings
Individual Factors
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Demographic Factors
(e.g., age, gender,
socioeconomic status,
race/ethnicity,
disability status)
Psychosocial Factors
Knowledge & Skills
Gene-Environment
Interactions
Other Personal Factors
Food &
Beverage
Intake
Physical
Activity
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Government
Public Health & Health Care
Systems
Agriculture
Marketing/Media
Community Design & Safety
Foundations & Funders
Industry
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Food
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Beverage
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Physical Activity
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Entertainment
Social & Cultural
Norms & Values
Sectors of Influence
Environmental
Settings
Government (The Executive Branch)
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Food & Nutrition Services (FNS)
- Child Nutrition Programs
1. Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program (FFVP)
2. School Breakfast Program (SBP)
3. National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Individual Factors
Schools
Food &
Beverage
Intake
Objectives

What are these programs?

Describe these programs.

Do these programs really promote a healthier
diet/lifestyle in school-aged children?

What are the effects of this program?
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable
Program (FFVP)

Federally assisted program providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to
students in select elementary schools during the day

Goal: To create healthier eating habits and influence present/future health

Started off as a pilot program in 2002; became a permanent program in 2008

FFVP is administered by the FNS at the federal level and by the State
education agency at the state level, which works with the school food
authorities to implement the program

Participating elementary schools receive $50-$75 per student for the school
year

These funds are used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables to serve to
students during the school day
Photo Obtained From fns.usda.gov
A Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program improves high
school students’ consumption of fresh produce

During 2006 and 2007, a Houston area high school was
selected to participate in FFVP, and another high school in
the district served as a comparison for the study

The study was done to determine whether students
attending the school with FFVP, effectively consumed more
fruits and vegetables than the other district high school

The study used anonymous surveys in order to obtain
information from students

Compared to the control school students, the intervention
school students reported eating fruit and 100% fruit juice at
least twice a day

However, there was no difference in the percentage of
students eating vegetables three or more times per day
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Participation in
Elementary Schools In the United States and Availability
of Fruits and Vegetables in School Lunch Meals

This study used mail back surveys in order to collect data.

This study makes a strong case for participation in federal
school nutrition programs, such as the FFVP, to increase the
availability of healthy options in school meals.

The benefits of the program can potentially go beyond the
direct provision of F/V as snacks; among participating
schools was a strong association between FFVP
participation and availability of fresh fruits at lunch meals.

Although causation cannot be implied from these data, the
results do show that schools that participated in the FFVP,
offered more fresh fruit in school lunches, suggesting that
increased uptake of the program may be a potential
strategy to improve the school environment.
School Breakfast Program
(SBP)

Federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private
schools and residential child care institutions

Began as a pilot project in 1966; became permanent in 1975

School districts and independent schools that choose to participate in the
program receive cash subsidies from the USDA for each they serve

In return, they must serve breakfasts meeting federal requirements and they
must offer free/reduced price breakfasts to eligible children

School breakfasts must meet the meal pattern and nutrition standards based
on the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Children from families with incomes at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty
level are eligible for free meals

Incomes between 130%-185% of the poverty level are eligible for reducedpriced meals (max of 30 cents)

The USDA also provides schools with technical training and assistance to the
school’s food service staffs, so that they can adequately learn to prepare
healthy meals

The USDA also provide nutrition educate dot children to understand the
link between diet and health
The School Breakfast Program: A View of the Present and
Preparing for the Future - A Commentary

The rule revised school meal programs to align them with the 2010 Dietary
Guidelines for Americans, requiring an increase in fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, and fat-free and low-fat milk. By July 2014, school breakfast offerings
must include at least 1 cup of fruit and/or vegetables to meet regulations

In spite of efforts to ensure the availability and quality of school breakfast,
only 20% of children eat school breakfast and up to 25% of children do not eat
breakfast at all

A critical issue is the relation school between SBP participation and
competitive foods - “foods and beverages, regardless of nutritional value,
sold at a school separate from the USDA school meals program” and are
available in 73% of elementary schools and 97% of middle schools

Most participating schools have established nutritional guidelines for
competitive foods (as required), but these guidelines are often not enforced
or lack strength. When unhealthy snacks are made available, students
purchase and consume them, so it’s important to understand whether
competitive foods reduce SBP participation

A priority for research in the immediate future is to evaluate which
components of the SBP should be expanded and which should be modified or
eliminated based on systematic data collection and analysis
Commentary on Nutrition Standards in the National
School Lunch and Breakfast Programs

New USDA nutrition standards were implemented during the 2012-2013 school year to
align more closely with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and to be a reflection of the
“My Plate” graphic emphasizing and increase in consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, and low-fat milk

Major changes include:

Increased servings of fruits and vegetables offered at lunch and breakfast

Increased variety of vegetables offered throughout the week

Increased servings of whole grains

Reduced saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium

Restriction of dairy to only low-fat and nonfat varieties

Reduced portion sizes for some age groups to better align with calorie needs

Expanded access to drinking water during meals
Commentary on Nutrition Standards in the National
School Lunch and Breakfast Programs

The original proposal by the USDA included the limitation of French fries to 2
servings a week and made it difficult for a slice of pizza with tomato paste to count
as a vegetable

The USDA is in the process of continuing to update the standards for competitive
foods - these are foods and beverages sold throughout the school day that impact
students’ appetites

These competitive foods are sold as individual items in cafeterias and as snacks in
vending machines, as well as school stores

Often times, schools sell these unhealthy snack foods and beverages as a means to
gain revenue and fund school food services

Having fewer unhealthy snack options available for students in schools may lead
more children to purchase school meals and take advantage of the healthier services
offered
Photo Obtained From fns.usda.gov
National School Lunch
Program (NSLP)

Federally assisted meal program operating in over 100,00
public and nonprofit private schools and residential child
care institutions

Public or nonprofit private schools of high school grade or
under, and public or nonprofit private residential child care
institutions can participate in the program

Cash subsidies are given from the USDA for each meal they
serve

In return, the schools must serve lunches that meet federal
requirements, and they must offer free or reduced-priced
lunches to eligible children

School lunches must meet nutritional standards based on
the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans

The current meal pattern increases the availability of
fruits, vegetables and whole grains in the school menu
Food choice, Plate Waste and Nutrient Intake of
Elementary-Middle School Students Participating in the
US National School Lunch Program

The overall health of children depends upon food intake that provides
sufficient energy and nutrients to support optimal growth and
development. Yet diets consumed by most US children are not consistent
with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Children's consumption of
fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat and fat-free dairy are
substantially less than current recommendations, resulting in shortfall
intakes of several key nutrients, in particular Ca, K, fiber, Mg and vitamin
E(3). Additionally, intakes of discretionary energy from solid fats and
added sugars considerably exceed recommendations.

A total of 899 students, 535 elementary school students and 364 middle
school students, participated in the study
Photo Obtained From fns.usda.gov
Food choice, Plate Waste and Nutrient Intake of
Elementary-Middle School Students Participating in the
US National School Lunch Program

The amount of plate waste reported in the present study is consistent with
amount of waste found in previous studies that examined plate waste in
school lunch programs. Marlette found an average percentage waste of 44%
for fruit, 24% for mixed dishes, 15% for milk and 30 % for vegetables among
6th-grade students. The present study found similar results in middle-school
students, which included 6th grade, in which they wasted on average 43% of
fruit (an average of canned and fresh), 19 % of the entrée and 31% of
vegetables. Milk waste was slightly higher in the present study at 21%.
However, this represents a difference of less than half an ounce of a standard
eight-ounce carton. A 2010 study of 4th–6th grade students in Louisiana
reported 37 % wastage of fruits and vegetables combined. This compares with
overall waste of 37% of canned fruit, 37% of fresh fruit and 34 % of vegetables
from elementary students in the present study.

The key finding from the study is that elementary and middle school students
are not regularly selecting fruit, and particularly vegetables, offered for
school lunch. As a result, their lunch consumption does not meet the new
national meal standards for vegetable intake and they are falling short of key
nutrients including vitamins A and C. As schools implement the provisions of
the new national meal standards, they will need to employ several
complementary strategies such as nutrition education, marketing
communications and behavioral economics to ensure students make the most
healthful lunch choices.
The National School Lunch and Competitive Food
Offerings and Purchasing Behaviors of High School
Students

Over a 4-week cycle, daily food purchases were gathered
and the proportions of green, yellow, and red foods offered
and purchased were compared.

Findings from this study suggest that students in these 3
high schools purchased foods in relative proportion to what
was available in the school cafeteria for the NSLP. Green
and yellow foods included in the NSLP, comprised 77% of
the offerings and 73% of the purchases. In contrasts, 61% of
the competitive foods were classified as red foods, and the
purchasing of red foods made up of 83% of competitive
food sales. These results indicate that students purchase
foods of minimal nutritional value at great proportions in
the school cafeteria.

These results suggest that the nutritional policy for the
NSLP promotes the offerings of a wide array of foods.
Schools should consider a nutrition policy that regulates the
sales of competitive foods.
Recommendations

The number one recommendation that I would make to
enhance these elements would be to if not eliminate, then
heavily reduce the competitive foods located in schools

In Food Politics, Marion Nestle argues that the sales of soft
drinks should not be permitted in schools at all.

If children still have the option to obtain sodas and
unhealthy snacks, they will be more likely to continue
choosing these foods over the healthier foods provided by
these programs.

I feel that it would also be extremely beneficial to teach
children about the programs and why they’re being
implemented.

If children know the impact of diet on their own health and
lifestyle, they may be more open to engage in the meals
provided by these programs.
Supporting Professional
Organizations


School Nutrition Association (SNA)

Mission: to advance the quality of school meal programs
through education and advocacy

https://schoolnutrition.org/
American School Health Association (ASHA)

Mission: envisions healthy students learning in a safe and
healthy environment provided by caring adults working
together

This association is a multidisciplinary organization of
administrators, counselors, dietitians, nutritionists, health
educators, physical educators, health coordinators, school
nurses, school physicians, and social workers

http://www.ashaweb.org/
Recommendations

Increasing the budget to promote fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, and low fat dairy while limiting sodium,
saturated fat, and trans fat

Continued Senate support to restrict the USDA from
using potatoes as vegetables and to reverse the
provision regarding tomato sauce on pizza as a
vegetable

What would Wilde think?

I believe Wilde would agree that my recommendations are
a result of strategic thinking especially because he states
some of these previous points in Food Policy in the United
States.
References
Davis, E. M., Cullen, K. W., Watson, K. B., Konarik, M., & Radcliffe, J. (2009). A fresh fruit and vegetable
program improves high school students' consumption of fresh produce. Journal of the American
Dietetic Association, 109(7), 1227-1231. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2009.04.017
Egner, R., Oza-Frank, R., & Cunningham, S., Argeseanu. (2014). The school breakfast program: A view of
the present and preparing for the future-A commentary. Journal of School Health, 84(7), 417-420.
doi:10.1111/josh.12164
French, S., A., & Story, M. (2013). Commentary on nutrition standards in the national school lunch and
breakfast programs. JAMA Pediatrics, 167(1), 8-9. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.639
Nestle, M. (2002). Food politics: How the food industry influences nutrition and health. Berkely:
University of California Press.
Ohri-Vachaspati, P., Turner, L., & Chaloupka, F., J. (2012). Fresh fruit and vegetable program
participation in elementary schools in the united states and availability of fruits and vegetables in
school lunch
meals. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, 112(6), 921-926.
doi:10.1016/j.jand.
2012.02.025
Smith, S., L., & Cunningham-Sabo, L. (2014). Food choice, plate waste and nutrient intake of elementaryand middle-school students participating in the US national school lunch program. Public Health
Nutrition, 17(6), 1255-1263. doi:10.1017/S1368980013001894
Snelling, A. M., Korba, C., & Burkey, A. (2007). The national school lunch and competitive food offerings
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10.1111/j.1746-1561.2007.00254.x
Wilde, P. (2013). In Food Policy in the United States: An Introduction. Abindon, Oxon: Routledge