Factors and Outcomes Associated With Using Scratch-Cooked, Organic, and Locally Grown Foods in School Meals in California.

Background: Incorporating scratch-cooked, organic, and locally grown foods into school meal programs can enhance meal quality and support local food systems.

Methods: 430 California school food authorities were surveyed to (1) evaluate their use of scratch-cooked, organic, and locally grown foods in their programs; (2) identify demographic and operational characteristics related to this use; and (3) analyze the relationship between serving more of these foods and perceived barriers to student meal participation. Poisson and logistic regression models, adjusted for SFAs' demographic characteristics, were used.

Psychosocial well-being and diabetes distress in the transition to motherhood among women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To investigate the associations between psychological well-being, measured with the Postnatal Well-being in Transition (PostTrans) Questionnaire, and diabetes distress among mothers with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Method: Eighty-two postnatal women completed a cross-sectional survey. The survey included the Diabetes Distress Scale, and the PostTrans Questionnaire to assess the psychosocial well-being of women transitioning to motherhood.

Predicting Admission and Future Performance of Veterinary School Applicants: Evaluation of Scores of Self-Reported Animal Experience and Rural Versus Urban Background.

Admission to veterinary school is generally based on academic and nonacademic measures. Descriptions of animal or veterinary experience and rural versus urban background are often sought from applicants, but little is objectively known about their impact on admission success or future performance. We evaluated scores from written descriptions from 590 veterinary school applicants for the nature and extent of self-reported animal experience.

Household Food Insecurity Is Associated with Parental Perceptions of and Student Participation in School Meals.

Background/objectives: School meals are an important source of nutrition for children and have been found to help mitigate food insecurity. This study evaluated the association between food insecurity and school meal participation and whether parental perceptions about school meals differ by food security status.

Methods: In May 2022, 1110 Californian parents of K-12 students shared their perceptions about school meals, including meal quality, healthiness, stigma, and benefits, as well as their child's participation in school meals, in an online survey.