Research & Practice
Can School Lunches Deliver Better Nutrition Without Sacrificing Palatability? An Evaluation of Nutritional Adequacy of School Lunches in Urban Washington State
USDA’s National School Lunch Program (NSLP) was established in 1946 to deliver balanced nutrition for children at risk for under-nutrition; however, in recent years these same meals have been associated with over-nutrition and increased risk for childhood obesity. Changes to federal meal standards made in 2013 stand to improve the overall quality and nutritional adequacy of school meals, yet significant gaps exist between federal meal standards and actual implementation across all levels of participating schools. The aims of this study are to 1) Review annual trends in nutritional adequacy, 2) Describe the relative contribution of six key nutrients to the nutritional quality of school lunches, 3) Describe which foods and food patterns are most closely associated with measures of nutritional adequacy, and 4) Provide a set of recommendations that school districts can use in planning meals, to ensure maximum nutrient density and optimal student health outcomes.
Materials Available
Project Type(s): Master's Thesis
Author(s): Diana Reid
Program(s): Master of Public Health, RDN Training
Year: 2014
Adviser(s):