Child Nutrition Programs
Child Nutrition
How Food Away From Home Affects Children's Diet Quality—This report examines how school food purchases—all foods, not only USDA reimbursable meals—and other food-away-from-home affect children’s diet quality and calorie consumption. Both food from school and other “away” food sources lower the daily diet quality of older children (as measured by the 2005 Healthy Eating Index). Among younger children, who are more likely than older children to eat a USDA school meal and have a more healthful school food environment, the effect of school food on caloric intake and diet quality does not differ significantly from that of food from home. (October 2010)
Diet Quality of School-Age Children in the U.S. and Association with Participation in the School Meal Programs—Using data from the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-III), this study found no significant differences in children’s diet quality between school meal participants and nonparticipants. However, National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participation and School Breakfast Program (SBP) participation were both associated with significantly higher milk consumption, and NSLP participants scored significantly lower than nonparticipants on consumption of healthy oils. (July 2010)
Children's Food Security and Intakes From School Meals—Children from food-insecure and marginally secure households receive a larger proportion of their food and nutrient intakes at school than do children from highly secure households due partially to higher participation rates of the insecure and marginally secure in school meal programs. Skipping breakfast was significantly more common among the food-insecure and marginally secure children; even at schools with breakfast programs, 20 percent of children from food-insecure and marginally secure households did not eat breakfast. (May 2010)
School Meal Program Participation and its Association with Dietary Patterns and Childhood Obesity—Using data from the School Nutrition Dietary Assessment III Study, this study found that National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participants had lower intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages and a lower percentage of calories from low-nutrient energy-dense (LNED) foods and beverages than did nonparticipants. Overall, NSLP participation was not significantly related to students’ BMI. School Breakfast Program (SBP) participants ate more LNED baked goods and more calories at breakfast than did nonparticipants, spreading calorie intake more evenly over the course of the day. SBP participants had significantly lower BMI than did nonparticipants. (July 2009)
Ecological Predictors
and Developmental Outcomes of Persistent Childhood Overweight—Childhood
obesity poses short- and long-term health risks. This
study, based on the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten
Class, followed 8,000 children from kindergarten through
third grade to examine predictors of persistent childhood
overweight and associated academic and socioemotional
outcomes. Socioeconomic status, gender, race, and behavioral
and environmental factors were found to influence risk
of persistent overweight. Overweight children progressed
less than their nonoverweight peers did in reading and
math achievement and were rated lower on academic and
socioemotional factors by their teachers and themselves.
Academic and social costs should be considered in assessing
costs of childhood overweight and potential benefits of
overweight prevention (June 2008).
 Parental Time, Role Strain,
and Children's Fat Intake and Obesity-Related Outcomes—This
study uses a unique dataset to examine parental influence
on children’s dietary intake and whether or not the children
will become obese. The study shows that household income,
parents’ time spent with children, and parents’ work experiences
significantly affect children’s energy and fat intake
and obesity-related outcomes. For example, the more time
mothers spent with their children, the lower the children’s
Body Mass Index (BMI) was. On the other hand, the more
time fathers spent with their children, the higher the
children’s BMI was. Parental influence seemed to affect
children ages 9-11 more than children ages 13-15. (CCR-19),
June 2006.
Nutrition and
Health Characteristics of Low-Income Populations: Usual
Nutrient Intakes—This study examined longrun average,
or “usual” intakes of 10 key nutrients and dietary components
using 1988-94 National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES) data. Results were estimated for the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and
Children (WIC participants), Food Stamp Program participants,
school-age children, and older adults. Because recommendations
for nutrient intake have been under revision, intake distributions
are useful for estimating the prevalence of adequate intake
under different standards. The study provides a baseline
from which to monitor the nutrition and health characteristics
of each group over time and to identify priorities for
further research. (AIB-796-2), February 2005.
Nutrition and
Health Characteristics of Low-Income Populations: Body
Weight Status—This study examined several measures
of body weight status for children and adults using 1988-94
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
data. The measures provide a baseline to monitor the weight
status of Americans, focusing on the low-income population.
(AIB-796-3), February 2005.
Nutrition and
Health Characteristics of Low-Income Populations: Meal
Patterns, Milk and Soft Drink Consumption, and Supplement
Use—This study examined several eating behaviors
for children and adults using 1988-94 National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES-III) data. The
measures provide a baseline to monitor eating behaviors
of Americans, focusing on the low-income population. (AIB-796-4),
February 2005.
Nutrition and
Health Characteristics of Low-Income Populations: Clinic
Measures of Iron, Folate, Vitamin B12, Cholesterol, Bone
Density, and Lead Poisoning—This study examined
several eating behaviors for children and adults using
1988-94 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES-III) data. This summary focuses on the nutritional
biochemistry blood tests and bone density measures that
showed differences between income groups. The measures
provide a baseline to monitor eating behaviors of Americans,
focusing on the low-income population. (AIB-796-5), February
2005.
Metropolitan Area Food
Prices and Children's Weight Gain—Overweight
among children has increased rapidly over the past two
decades. A prevalent belief is that characteristics of
the local food supply, such as the affordability of fresh
produce and the density of food markets and restaurants,
are associated with children's diet and weight gain. This
study investigates these issues and finds an association
between the relative cost of fruits and vegetables and
excessive weight gain by elementary-age children. (CCR-14),
December 2005.
 Maternal
Employment and Children's Nutrition: Volume II, Other
Nutrition-Related Outcomes—Children of working
mothers are more likely to participate in the National
School Lunch Program. In contrast, the higher income of
households with working mothers is related to lower participation
in USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC) and School Breakfast and Food
Stamp Programs. This study analyzed differences in nutrition
and nutrition-related outcomes among children whose mothers
work full-time, part-time, and not at all (homemakers).
This report focuses on indirect nutrition-related outcomes,
including food program participation, children's eating
patterns, household food acquisition and sufficiency,
and children's physical activity and risk of overweight.
(E-FAN-04-006-2), June 2004.
Nutrition and Health
Characteristics of Low-Income Populations: Volume III,
School-Age Children—Data from the Third National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES-III),
conducted in 1988-94, were used to compare the nutrition
and health characteristics of the Nation's school-age
children. Three groups of boys and girls ages 5-18 were
compared based on household income: income at or below
130 percent of poverty (lowest income), income between
131 and 185 percent of poverty (low income), and income
above 185 percent of poverty (higher income). This research
was designed to establish a baseline from which to monitor
the nutrition and health characteristics of school-age
children over time, particularly those in low-and lowest
income groups. (E-FAN-04-014-3), December 2004.
Examining
the Well-Being of Children—The theme for this
issue of FoodReview is “'America's Children.” Articles in this issue discuss the well-being of America's
children, children's diet quality, the problem of overweight
children in America, foodborne disease among children,
the economics of breastfeeding, and food assistance programs
that help children and their families. FoodReview
(24-2), October 2001.
National School Lunch Program
Effects of Immigration on WIC and NSLP Caseloads—The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) have no eligibility restrictions based on the legal status of immigrants. This study reveals an increase in the number and share of immigrants and their children in WIC and NSLP between the mid-1990s and 2006; however, the share of immigrant participants is comparable to their share of the eligible population. Findings suggest that immigrants face fewer barriers to access in WIC and NSLP than they do for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other benefits subject to immigration-related eligibility restrictions. (October 2010)
Balancing
Nutrition, Participation, and Cost in the National School
Lunch Program—Schools face the dual constraints
of meeting nutritional requirements and covering costs.
At the same time, meals must appeal to children so that
they will actually eat the foods that are served. This
article explores how schools across America respond to
these challenges (September 2008).
The National School
Lunch Program: Background, Trends, and Issues—The
National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is the Nation's second
largest food and nutrition assistance program. In 2006,
it operated in more than 101,000 public and nonprofit
private schools and provided over 28 million low-cost
or free lunches to children on a typical school day at
a cost of $8 billion. The report provides background information
on the NSLP, including historical trends and participant
characteristics. It also addresses steps being taken to
meet challenges facing program administrators, including
tradeoffs between program access and program integrity
(July 2008).
Participant Characteristics
Profiles of Participants
in the National School Lunch Program: Data From Two National
Surveys—The National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
serves more than 29 million children each day—and
almost half of these children live in households with
incomes below 185 percent of poverty. This study reports
new estimates of NSLP participant characteristics using
two national surveys: the 2001 Panel of the Survey of
Income and Program Participation (SIPP) and the 1999-2002
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
(EIB-17), August 2006.
Program Access, Operations
and Integrity
School Foodservice Costs: Location Matters—School food authorities (SFAs) must serve appealing, healthful meals while covering food, labor, and other operating costs. This challenge may be more difficult for some SFAs than for others because a nationally representative survey found that school costs per meal varied by geographic location. In the 2002-03 school year, SFAs in the Southwestern United States had, on average, consistently lower foodservice costs per meal than did SFAs in other regions. Urban locations had lower costs per meal than did their rural and suburban counterparts. Wage and benefit rates, food expenditures per meal, and SFA characteristics such as the mix of breakfasts and lunches served each contributed to the differences in foodservice costs per meal across locations. (May 2011)
Meeting Total Fat Requirements for School Lunches: Influence of School Policies and Characteristics—Schools have been successful in meeting most USDA nutrient standards in school lunches except for total and saturated fat. This report uses school-level data from the School Nutrition Dietary Assessment-III to calculate statistical differences between the fat content of NSLP lunches served by schools with different policies such as menu planning and characteristics such as region and size. A meal’s fat content is positively associated with the presence of a la carte foods and vending machines, which may indirectly affect the nutrient content of USDA-subsidized meals. (December 2009)
Factors Associated With School Meal Participation and the Relationship Between Different Participation Measures—This study investigated factors that influence students’ participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) using data from a large, nationally representative sample of students certified for free and reduced-price meals during the 2005–06 school year. Eligible elementary school students are more likely to participate than are middle or high school students. Also, students who like the taste of the meals are more likely to participate than are students who do not. The study cautions that parents’ reports of student participation tend to overstate participation, which results in higher reported annual participation rates than from using administrative data. (June 2009)
The Income Volatility
See-Saw: Implications for School Lunch—Income
volatility challenges the effectiveness of the safety
net that USDA food assistance programs provide low-income
families. This study examines income volatility among
households with children and the implications of volatility
for eligibility in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
The results show that income volatility was higher for
successively lower income groups and that the major determinants
of changes in NSLP eligibility were changes in total household
hours worked and the share of working adults. (ERR-23),
August 2006.
 Direct Certification
in the National School Lunch Program—Impacts on
Program Access and Integrity—About 61 percent
of school districts used direct certification in the National
School Lunch Program (NSLP) in the 2001-02 school year,
the same share as in 1996. Direct certification increased
the number of children certified for free meals by about
400,000 and slightly increased overall NSLP participation.
Under direct certification, school districts use information
from State welfare or food stamp offices to certify children
to receive free meals. To qualify, children's families
must receive food stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families, or assistance from the Food Distribution Program
on Indian Reservations. Children's families who are directly
certified do not have to complete certification applications.
(E-FAN-03-009), October 2003.
Food Assistance
Research Brief—Certifying Eligibility in the National
School Lunch Program—Nutritionally balanced
National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meals are available
in almost all public and many private schools. Any child
at a participating school may purchase a lunch through
the NSLP. Current regulations allow children to be certified
for free or reduced-priced lunches in two ways—direct
certification based on documentation from State or local
welfare offices or certification based on an application
from a child's parent or guardian. This report examines
whether students who are not eligible for free or reduced-cost
meals are receiving meals. (FANRR-34-4), July 2003.
Plate
Waste in School Nutrition Programs: Final Report to Congress—This
report examines the level of plate waste in the National
School Lunch Program (NSLP) and information on strategies
to reduce it. Strategies examined include using the offer
vs. serve provision for meal service, rescheduling lunch
hours, improving the quality of food, tailoring serving
sizes to student appetites, and providing nutrition education.
(E-FAN-02-009), March 2002.
Improving Children’s
Diet and Health
When Nudging in the Lunch Line Might Be a Good Thing—Schools can exert considerable control over the food choices they offer and the manner in which they are presented—the “choice architecture” in behavioral economic terms. Behavioral economic theory suggests several possibilities to structure school cafeteria environments in a noncoercive manner to encourage healthy choices. (March 2009)
Behavioral Economic Concepts To Encourage Healthy Eating in School Cafeterias: Experiments and Lessons From College Students—Changing small factors that influence consumer choices may lead to healthier eating within controlled settings, such as school cafeterias. This report describes a behavioral experiment in a college cafeteria to assess the effects of various payment options and menu selection methods on food choices. The results indicate that payment options, such as cash or debit cards, can significantly affect food choices. (December 2008)
Middle School Student
Lunch Consumption: Impact of National School Lunch Program
Meal and Competitive Foods—National School Lunch
Program (NSLP) meals are associated with several positive
dietary quality outcomes for children but concerns remain.
Students who consumed mainly NSLP food reported higher
intakes of most nutrients, milk, fruits, and vegetables
and lower intakes of sweetened beverages and candy than
students who consumed mainly non-NSLP food, including
a la carte items, food from vending machines, and food
from home. Students in the “mainly NLSP” group
also consumed more sodium, fat, and saturated fat, and
calories, although caloric intake was only 80 percent
of the NSLP requirement for lunch calories. (CCR-30),
June 2007.
Food Assistance
Research Brief—A Healthy School Meal Environment—This
report examines how schools can foster an environment
that encourages healthy food choices by participants in
the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast
Program. Environmental factors that are considered to
be important in healthy food choices include (1) the nutritional
quality, variety, and acceptability of program meals;
(2) meal scheduling; (3) nutrition education; and (4)
sales of non-USDA foods. (FANRR-34-5), July 2003.
Food Assistance
Research Brief—Competitive Foods: Soft Drinks vs.
Milk—“Competitive foods”—those
available in schools in addition to USDA-provided school
meals—have lower nutritional quality than school
meals. This report reviews current information on the
impact of competitive foods in school meal programs and
presents a case study on competition between milk and
soft drinks. (FANRR-34-7), July 2003.
Nutrition Education
Methodology To Evaluate
the Outcomes of the Team Nutrition Initiative in Schools—This
project develops a data collection methodology to evaluate
outcomes of Team Nutrition, a voluntary USDA school-based
initiative to promote nutrition education, healthy eating,
and physical activity. The project uses information technology
to collect high-quality data while decreasing respondent
and investigator burden and lowering costs of collecting
and analyzing evaluation data. Seven data collection instruments
were developed and are being pilot-tested in one State,
but the methodology could be useful to other States. (CCR-20),
June 2006.
Improving Program
Data
Establishing
a Web-Based Data Collection System for National School
Lunch and National School Breakfast Program Data: Technical
Report—This report follows up an initiative
to establish a central website to collect data from States
on the National School Lunch and the School Breakfast
Programs. Researchers and program administrators could
use a central website to compare and analyze data across
State and local areas for participation trends in local
school district programs. The report provides an implementation
plan for establishing a central website. The initiative
is one of three that have the potential to improve the
usefulness and cost-effectiveness of research on Federal
food assistance and nutrition programs. The other
initiatives are addressed in the reports Linking
the Current Population Survey to State Food Stamp Program
Administrative Data: Phase II Report, Data Development
Initiatives for Research on Food Assistance and Nutrition
Programs—Final Report and Linking
WIC Program Data to Medicaid and Vital Records Data: Phase
II Report, Data Development Initiatives for Research on
Food Assistance and Nutrition Programs—Final Report.
(E-FAN-04-005-3), June 2004.
Data
Development Initiatives for Research on Food Assistance
and Nutrition Programs, Phase I: Ten Potential Data Initiatives—This
report describes 10 potential data development initiatives,
each of which holds promise for improving the quality
or reducing the cost of data resources in USDA's three
major food assistance programs. The initiatives reflect
the research needs of all three of the largest Federal
food assistance programs: the Food Stamp Program, the
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants,
and Children, and the National School Lunch Program. The
initiatives could aslo provide information on the measurement
of program impacts and the dynamics of program participation.
(E-FAN-01-010), December 2001.
School Breakfast
Program
Improving
Children’s Diets, Growth, Development, Learning,
and Health
The School Breakfast Program Participation and Impacts—This report examines the determinants of participation in the School Breakfast Program among third grade public school students, as well as the impact of the program on food insecurity and skipping breakfast. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey—Kindergarten Cohort and from the Wisconsin Schools Food Security Survey, the study found that students are more likely to participate when breakfast is served in the classroom, when time available for breakfast in school is longer, and when they come from lower income or time-constrained households. Children with access to the School Breakfast Program are more likely to eat breakfast in the morning, and program access may enhance food security among families at the the margin of food insecurity. (July 2009)
Evaluating the Impact
of School Nutrition Programs: Final Report—This
study develops estimates of the efficacy of school nutrition
programs in improving a broad range of dietary outcomes
by comparing the nutritional status of students and their
families during the school year with the status when school
is out. The study finds evidence that children who have
a School Breakfast Program (SBP) available consume a better
overall diet and a lower percentage of calories from fat
and are less likely to have a low intake of magnesium
as well as low serum levels of vitamin C and folate. The
results of this study suggest that the availability of
an SBP has beneficial effects for children. (E-FAN-04-008),
July 2004.
Designs
for Measuring How the School Breakfast Program Affects
Learning—This report describes a study design
that permits a scientifically defensible evaluation of
the impact of the School Breakfast Program (SBP) on learning
and cognitive development among children. Following presentation
of a literature review and conceptual framework of the
SBP-learning relationship, four alternative designs for
measuring this relationship were proposed and assessed.
Of the four, the design based on Early Childhood Longitudinal
Study (ECLS) data (with supplemental analysis of 1988-1994
NHANES III data) was chosen as the report's subject. (E-FAN-01-013),
December 2001.
Improving
Program Data
Establishing
a Web-Based Data Collection System for National School
Lunch and National School Breakfast Program Data: Technical
Report—This report follows up an initiative
to establish a central website to collect data from States
on the National School Lunch and the School Breakfast
Programs. Researchers and program administrators could
use a central website to compare and analyze data across
State and local areas for participation trends in local
school district programs. The report provides an implementation
plan for establishing a central website. The initiative
is one of three that have the potential to improve the
usefulness and cost-effectiveness of research on Federal
food assistance and nutrition programs. The other
initiatives are addressed in the reports Linking
the Current Population Survey to State Food Stamp Program
Administrative Data: Phase II Report, Data Development
Initiatives for Research on Food Assistance and Nutrition
Programs —Final Report and Linking
WIC Program Data to Medicaid and Vital Records Data: Phase
II Report, Data Development Initiatives for Research on
Food Assistance and Nutrition Programs—Final Report.
(E-FAN-04-005-3), June 2004.
Child and Adult
Care Food Program
Program Access,
Operations and Integrity
 Administrative
Costs in the Child and Adult Care Food Program: Results
of an Exploratory Study of the Reimbursement System for
Sponsors of Family Child Care Homes—The introduction
of tiered meal reimbursement rates in the family child
care homes portion of the Child and Adult Care Food Program
(CACFP) concentred benefits more intensely on low-income
providers and children, as intended. Tiering created new
administrative tasks for sponsors that oversee family
child care homes. This situation has raised concerns as
to the adequacy of reimbursements. This study explores
the administrative cost reimbursement system for CACFP
sponsors. Costs reported by sponsors on average were about
5 percent higher than allowable reimbursement amounts.
The report also presents and discusses alternative administrative
reimbursement systems used by other Federal programs.
(CCR-16), March 2006.
Food Assistance
Research Brief—Reimbursement Tiering Improves Targeting
but Decreases Participation in the Child and Adult Care
Food Program—The Family Child Care Homes Legislative
Changes Study found that family child care homes in the
Child and Adult Care Food Program serve fewer children
but more of the children are from low-income families.
Prior to the tiered reimbursement system, which started
in 1997, 21 percent of the children served were from low-income
families. Post-tiering, that number rose to 45 percent.
(FANRR-34-9), July 2003.
Food Assistance
Research Brief—Tiering Increases CACFP Sponsors'
Administrative Tasks—The two-tiered meal reimbursement
system instituted in 1997 within the child care homes
portion of the Child and Adult Care Food Program added
new duties for sponsoring organizations. This report examines
how these new duties have affected the sponsoring organizations'
administrative tasks. (FANRR-34-8), July 2003.
 Effects
of CACFP Reimbursement Tiering: Major Findings of the
Family Child Care Homes Legislative Changes Study—The
introduction of tiered meal reimbursement rates in the
family child care homes portion of the Child and Adult
Care Food Program (CACFP) concentrated benefits more intensely
on low-income children, as intended. Tiering added to
sponsoring organizations' administrative duties, reduced
the number of participating family child care homes, but
did not alter the number or nutritional quality of meals
offered by providers receiving the lower reimbursement
rates. (FANRR-24), May 2002.
Issues
in Food Assistance—Program Targeting: Effects of
Meal Reimbursement Tiering on the Child and Adult Care
Food Program—A 1995 study of the family child
care homes portion of the Child and Adult Care Food Program
(CACFP) found that nearly 80 percent of children served
came from middle and higher income families. To refocus
the program on low-income children, the Personal Responsibility
and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act of 1996 mandated
an income-targeted meal reimbursement structure. A congressionally
mandated study of the effects of tiered meal reimbursement
on the family child care homes portion of the CACFP found
that this component of the CACFP became substantially
more focused on low-income children after tiering was
introduced. (FANRR-26-1), April 2002.
Family
Child Care Home Participation in the CACFP - Effects of
Reimbursement Tiering: A Report to Congress on the Family
Child Care Homes Legislative Changes Study—The
introduction of tiered reimbursement rates in 1997 in
the family child care homes portion of the Child and Adult
Care Food Program (CACFP) concentrated benefits more intensely
on low-income providers and children, as intented. It
also reduced the number of family child care homes participating
in 1998 and 1999. This report presents the results of
a congressionally mandated study on how the revised reimbursement
structure affected the number of family child care homes
participating in the CACFP. By reducing participation
incentives for child care homes that were not considered
to be low-income, tiering reduced the number of participating
CACFP homes. (E-FAN-02-002), April 2002.
Sponsoring
Organizations in the CACFP—Administrative Effects
of Reimbursement Tiering: A Report to Congress on the
Family Child Care Homes Legislative Changes Study—Sponsors
of family child care homes in the Child and Adult Care
Food Program (CACFP) took on additional responsibilities
as a result of the tiered reimbursement structure introduced
in 1997. According to this congressionally mandated study,
tiering has created a requirement for sponsors to classify
family child care homes (providers) and some participating
children according to income status. Sponsors also reported
that they increased training and monitoring, expanded
services to providers, and heightened recruitment efforts.
(E-FAN-02-003), April 2002.
 Households
with Children in CACFP Child Care Homes—Effects
of Meal Reimbursement Tiering: A Report to Congress on
the Family Child Care Homes Legislative Changes Study—Within
the family child care home portion of the Child and Adult
Care Food Program (CACFP), low-income children increased
from 21 to 39 percent of all participating children between
1995 and 1999. This congressionally mandated study found
that the proportion of dollars allocated to low-income
children's meals more than doubled, from 21 percent to
45 percent. (E-FAN-02-005), April 2002.
Meals
Offered by Tier 2 CACFP Family Child Care Providers—Effects
of Lower Meal Reimbursements: A Report to Congress on
the Family Child Care Homes Legislative Changes Study—The
introduction of tiered reimbursement rates in 1997 did
not substantially affect the food and nutrient composition
of meals offered by Tier 2 providers in the Child and
Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This congressionally
mandated study found that, although reimbursement rates
for Tier 2 providers (providers who are not low-income
themselves and do not live in low-income areas) were reduced,
these providers neither cut back on meals and snacks served
nor offered less nutritious foods. (E-FAN-02-006), April
2002.
Reimbursement
Tiering in the CACFP: Summary Report to Congress on the
Family Child Care Homes Legislative Changes Study—The
introduction of tiered reimbursement rates in the Child
and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) concentrated program
benefits more intensely on low-income providers and children,
as intended. Tiering reduced the number of family child
care homes participating in the program, but did not alter
the number or nutritional quality of meals offered by
participating providers. This report summarizes the results
of a congressionally mandated study of the effects of
a tiered reimbursement system on program participation
and meals offered to children. Data were collected during
spring and summer of 1999 from nationally representative
samples of participating family child care homes, their
sponsors, and the parents of the children they served.
(FANRR-22), March 2002.
Improving Children’s
Diet and Health
Maternal
Employment and Children's Nutrition: Volume I, Diet Quality
and the Role of the CACFP—Compared with children
of nonworking mothers, children of full-time working mothers
have lower overall Healthy Eating Index scores, lower
intake of iron and fiber, and higher intake of soda and
fried potatoes, even after taking into account differences
in maternal and other family characteristics. Nutritional
differences between children of part-time working mothers
and children of nonworking mothers were more sensitive
to maternal and family characteristics, with no clear
pattern of nutritional differences emerging. This study
analyzed differences in nutrition outcomes among children
whose mothers work full-time, part-time, and not at all,
and the role of USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program
in meeting the nutrition needs of participating children,
especially those whose mothers work. (E-FAN-04-006-1),
June 2004.
Summer Food Service Program
Food Assistance
Research Brief—Feeding Low-Income Children When School Is
Out: The Summer Food Service Program—The Summer Food
Service Program (SFSP) is the major Federal resource available
to provide children from low-income families with nutritious
meals when school is not in session. Small in comparison
with the National School Lunch Program, which served 15.5
million children in 2001, the SFSP served 2.1 million children.
Growing interest in improving SFSP operations and expanding
participation led USDA to commission the first comprehensive
examination of the program since 1986. This brief presents
findings from the study. (FANRR-34-10), July 2003.
Feeding
Low-Income Children When School Is Out—The Summer
Food Service Program: Executive Summary—USDA's
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) funds meals for children
in low-income areas when school is not in session. ERS
sponsored the first comprehensive study of the SFSP in
more than a decade. The nationally representative study
surveyed State administrators, sponsor staff, and site
staff on program operations and on factors that affect
participation. The study also examined the nutritional
quality of meals served and the extent of plate waste.
In fiscal year 2001, more than 4,000 local sponsors provided
about 130 million meals at more than 35,000 feeding sites.
The number of children served in July (2.1 million) was
about 14 percent of the number who received free or reduced-price
school meals during the previous school year. (FANRR-30),
April 2003.
Feeding
Low-Income Children When School Is Out—The Summer
Food Service Program: Final Report —USDA's Summer
Food Service Program (SFSP) funds meals for children in
low-income areas when school is not in session. This first
comprehensive study of the SFSP since 1986 found that
more than 4,000 local sponsors provided about 130 million
meals at more than 35,000 feeding sites in fiscal 2001.
The number of children served in July 2001 (2.1 million
per day) was about 14 percent of the number who received
free or reduced-price school meals each day during the
previous school year. On average, SFSP meals provided
the levels of key nutrients recommended for school meals.
This nationally representative study surveyed State administrators,
sponsor staff, and site staff on program operations and
on factors that affect participation. (E-FAN-03-001),
March 2003.
Summer
Feeding Design Study: Final Report—The executive
summary and three accompanying volumes of this report
describe the design of a national study of USDA's Summer
Food Service Program (SFSP). The SFSP was created in 1975
to provide children from low-income families with nutritious
meals when school is not in session. On a typical summer
day, the program provides meals to more than 2 million
children. Since 1975, eligibility criteria, administrative
procedures, and funding levels have changed. The study,
which is currently underway, will describe program operations
and assess how they contribute to participation levels
and the nutritional benefits of SFSP participation. (E-FAN-01-004),
October 2000.
USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable
Program
 Food
Assistance Research Brief—The USDA Fruit and Vegetable
Pilot Program Evaluation—A recent ERS study
found this program was a popular strategy for getting
kids to eat more fruits and vegetables. Many elementary
and secondary school students who ate free snacks of fresh
and dried fruits and fresh vegetables as part of USDA's
Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program said they improved their
eating habits and were more willing to try unfamiliar
fruits and formerly disliked vegetables as a result of
participating in the pilot. Funded for the 2002-03 school
year at $6 million by the 2002 Farm Bill, the pilot program
also was considered a success by school staff members
who ran it. (FANRR-34-14), August 2003.
Evaluation
of the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program: Report
to Congress—Almost all schools participating
in USDA's Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program (FVPP) consider
the program to be very successful and would like the pilot
to continue. The 2002 Farm Act provided $6 million to
the FVPP for the 2002-03 school year to improve fruit
and vegetable consumption among the Nation's schoolchildren.
The FVPP provided fresh and dried fruits and fresh vegetables
free to children in 107 elementary and secondary schools.
The intent of the pilot is to determine the feasibility
of such a program and its success as assessed by the students'
interest in participating. (E-FAN-03-006), April 2003.
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Nutrition Programs Briefing Room
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