The Effect of Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act on School Meals
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Ballroom B/C/D
Start Date
21-5-2015
End Date
21-5-2015
Keywords
School Lunch, Nutrition, Child
Abstract
Nearly 31 million children eat National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meals each day. In order to improve the nutritional quality of the NSLP, standards for government subsidized school lunches changed in July, 2012, under the Healthy Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA). In Spring of 2012, digital photographs of NSLP lunches were taken before and after meal consumption in four elementary schools, prior to enactment of HHFKA. In Spring of 2013, after enactment of the HHFKA, digital photographs of lunch were again taken in the same schools. The photos were used to make estimates of nutritional content of meals selected and consumed. Comparison between the pre-HHFKA meals and the post-HHFKA meals revealed significant differences between the 2012 and 2013 mean nutrient content selected and consumed for food energy, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, protein, calcium, fiber, cholesterol, sodium, and vitamin C. Saturated fat and sodium selection was significantly different: Saturated Fat: 6.1 grams (2012) and 3.5 grams (2013); Sodium: 1148 mg (2012) and 909 mg (2013), p<.05. No significant differences between 2012 and 2013 mean nutrient content selected and consumed for iron and vitamin A were found. In conclusion, the 2013 meals using new HHFKA guidelines offered a better meal and resulted in improved intake.
Recommended Citation
Ogan, Dana, "The Effect of Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act on School Meals" (2015). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 85.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2015/posters/85
Poster Number
31
Department/Program
Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
Additional Mentoring Department
Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
Additional Mentoring Department
Nutrition, Exercise & Health Sciences
The Effect of Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act on School Meals
SURC Ballroom B/C/D
Nearly 31 million children eat National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meals each day. In order to improve the nutritional quality of the NSLP, standards for government subsidized school lunches changed in July, 2012, under the Healthy Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA). In Spring of 2012, digital photographs of NSLP lunches were taken before and after meal consumption in four elementary schools, prior to enactment of HHFKA. In Spring of 2013, after enactment of the HHFKA, digital photographs of lunch were again taken in the same schools. The photos were used to make estimates of nutritional content of meals selected and consumed. Comparison between the pre-HHFKA meals and the post-HHFKA meals revealed significant differences between the 2012 and 2013 mean nutrient content selected and consumed for food energy, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, protein, calcium, fiber, cholesterol, sodium, and vitamin C. Saturated fat and sodium selection was significantly different: Saturated Fat: 6.1 grams (2012) and 3.5 grams (2013); Sodium: 1148 mg (2012) and 909 mg (2013), p<.05. No significant differences between 2012 and 2013 mean nutrient content selected and consumed for iron and vitamin A were found. In conclusion, the 2013 meals using new HHFKA guidelines offered a better meal and resulted in improved intake.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Ethan Bergman, Emily Shaw, Tim Englund