Alternative Service Methods Associated With Increased Participation in the School Breakfast Program.

Background: School breakfast programs (SBP) play an important role in reducing food insecurity and helping provide children with adequate nutrition. Using alternative service methods such as breakfast in the classroom, grab and go, and second chance breakfast may increase student participation.

Methods: We compared the SBP participation of students in 194 Pennsylvania schools that received a mini-grant to support the implementation of an alternative service method to participation in the academic year prior to implementation.

Local wellness policy strength and perceived implementation of school nutrition standards across three states.

Background: Congress sought to address escalating rates of childhood obesity by mandating local wellness policies (LWP) (Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004). Previous research has examined LWP content and quality; however, data relative to LWP implementation is limited, and none has examined the relationship between LWP quality and implementation. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of LWP strength on perceived implementation of LWP components.

School feeding programs in developing countries: impacts on children's health and educational outcomes.

School feeding programs (SFPs) are intended to alleviate short-term hunger, improve nutrition and cognition of children, and transfer income to families. The present review explores the impact of SFPs on nutritional, health, and educational outcomes of school-aged children in developing countries. Peer-reviewed journal articles and reviews published in the past 20 years were identified and screened for inclusion.

Student involvement in wellness policies: a study of Pennsylvania local education agencies.

Objective: Explore student-involvement goals in local wellness policies (LWPs) of local education agencies (LEAs) in Pennsylvania (PA) and investigate associations with LEA characteristics.

Design: An observational study that helped examine student-involvement goals.

Setting: Public PA LEAs.

Lessons from Pennsylvania's mixed response to federal school wellness law.

Federal legislation aimed at tackling the nation's soaring childhood obesity rate through changes to school meals and nutrition and wellness programs has met with mixed results. An examination of Pennsylvania's response to the Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act of 2004, one of the most comprehensive state responses, found improvements to the nutritional quality of foods offered à la carte in conjunction with school meal programs. However, multiple weaknesses remain.

A comprehensive coding system to measure the quality of school wellness policies.

In 2006, all local education agencies in the United States participating in the National School Lunch Program were required to establish school wellness policies that covered nutrition education, nutrition standards for school foods, and physical activity. The purpose of this psychometric study was to develop and evaluate the properties of a comprehensive and quantitative coding system to evaluate the quality of these policies. A 96-item coding tool was developed to evaluate seven goal areas: nutrition education, standards for US Department of Agriculture child nutrition programs and school meals, nutrition standards for competitive and other foods and beverages, physical education, physical activity, communication and promotion, and evaluation.

Statewide assessment of local wellness policies in Pennsylvania public school districts.

With the passage of the Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children Reauthorization Act of 2004, schools that sponsor school meals programs are required to establish local wellness policies to address childhood obesity. Little is known about how school districts will respond to this mandate, the nature of local wellness policies, and their compliance with this mandate. The objectives of this cross-sectional descriptive study, conducted in early 2007, were to assess local wellness policies established by Pennsylvania public school districts, compare these policies to local wellness policy mandate requirements, and provide information about local wellness policy development and implementation.

Addressing childhood overweight through schools.

Rates of childhood obesity in have reached alarming proportions in many countries. Sixteen percent of school-aged children and adolescents in the U.S.

Existence and predictors of soft drink advertisements in Pennsylvania high schools.

The objective of this study was to describe the extent and locations of soft drink advertisements on high school campuses in Pennsylvania and identify factors related to extent of these advertisements. Surveys were distributed to 271 school foodservice directors in a random sample of high schools in Pennsylvania. These high schools were selected to be representative of the entire population of high schools in Pennsylvania based on chosen demographic characteristics.

School competitive food policies: perceptions of Pennsylvania public high school foodservice directors and principals.

The objectives of this study were to describe the extent, nature, and enforcement of school competitive food policies in Pennsylvania public high schools and to determine if there are differences between school foodservice directors' and principals' perceptions of the existence and enforcement of these policies. A survey was distributed to 271 school foodservice directors and 100 principals in a representative, random sample of high schools. Two hundred twenty-eight school foodservice directors (84%) and 79 principals (79%) returned surveys.

Factors associated with the offering and sale of competitive foods and school lunch participation.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify factors that predict offering and sale of competitive foods, as well as factors that predict average daily participation in school lunch.

Design: Surveys were distributed to 271 school foodservice directors in a random sample of high schools in Pennsylvania that were selected to be representative of the entire population of high schools in Pennsylvania based on chosen demographic characteristics.

Subjects: Two hundred twenty-eight school foodservice directors (84%) returned surveys.

Competitive foods available in Pennsylvania public high schools.

Objective: This study examined the types and extent of competitive foods available in public high schools in Pennsylvania.

Design: We developed, pilot tested, and distributed surveys to school foodservice directors in a random sample of 271 high schools in Pennsylvania.

Subjects: Two hundred twenty-eight surveys were returned, for a response rate of 84%.