Post-Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act Adherence to Select School Nutrition Standards by Region and Poverty Level : The Healthy Communities Study

• Objective: This study determined the extent to which schools adhered to select nutrition and wellness provisions of the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act and examined differences by US region and school poverty level. Design: Comparison of cross-sectional observational data from the Healthy Communities Study (2013-2015) by region and school poverty level. Participants: A total of 401 US elementary and middle schools. Main Outcome Measures: Adherence with federal nutrition standards for meals and competitive foods; extent of implementation of select aspects of school wellness policies. Analysis: Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression were used. Differences were examined by school poverty level and region, adjusting for other school- and community-level covariates. Results: Most schools reported meeting reimbursable school meal nutrition standards (74%); more schools in the West met nutrition standards (82%) than in the Midwest (64%). Most grains offered at lunch were whole grain-rich (82%), and most competitive foods complied with standards (78%) before they were required. Most schools had a wellness coordinator (80%). Lowest levels of adherence were reported for guidelines for classroom or school event foods. No differences were observed by school poverty level. Conclusions and Implications: Findings suggest that Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act provisions were feasible across a wide variety of schools, and schools successfully implemented reimbursable school meal nutrition standards regardless of school poverty level.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Näringslära (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nutrition and Dietetics (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

school nutrition

whole grains

competitive foods

Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)