UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

Although school meals provide multiple benefits to students and their families, not all students eat breakfast and lunch at school, even if they are eligible for free or reduced-price meals (FRPM) based on their family income. Because school meals offer better nutrition than other sources of food consumed by US children, maximizing meal participation is a priority. Parents’ or caregivers’ perceptions and beliefs about school meals have been identified as a significant factor affecting student participation in school meals. Thus, this study aimed to assess the association between parent perspectives about the school meal program during the school year (SY) 2021–2022 and school meal participation in the context of UFSM, and whether this association differs by school level or FRPM eligibility.

Full Citation: Zuercher, M. D., Cohen, J. F. W., Hecht, C. A., Hecht, K., Orta-Aleman, D., Patel, A., Olarte, D. A., Chapman, L. E., Read, M., Schwartz, M. B., Ritchie, L. D., & Gosliner, W. (2024). Parent perceptions of school meals influence student participation in school meal programs. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 56(4), 230–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2024.01.003

This study estimated the social and economic costs of body dissatisfaction and appearance-based discrimination (specifically, weight and skin-shade discrimination) in the United States (USA) in the 2019 calendar year. For each impact attributable to body dissatisfaction or appearance-based discrimination, annual health system and productivity costs (or labor market costs) were primarily estimated by using a population attributable fraction methodology. Only direct costs that resulted from body dissatisfaction and appearance-based discrimination were included (for example, costs associated with conditions such as depression attributable to body dissatisfaction or appearance- based discrimination). In contrast, indirect costs (e.g. costs associated with a health condition developed following skin bleach-ing, which was undertaken as a result of body dissatisfaction) were not included. In 2019 body dissatisfaction incurred $84 billion in financial and economic costs and $221 billion

Full citation: Yetsenga R, Banerjee R, Streatfeild J, McGregor K, Austin SB, Lim BWX, Diedrichs PC, Greaves K, Mattei J, Puhl RM, Slaughter-Acey JC, Solanke I, Sonneville KR, Velasquez K, Cheung S. (2024). The economic and social costs of body dissatisfaction and appearance-based discrimination in the United States. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention. https://doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2024.2328461

The study’s objective was to determine whether beverage advertising expenditures and the number of beverage ads purchased changed in Philadelphia compared to Baltimore because of this tax. Monthly beverage ad expenditures and the number of beverage ads purchased by brand from January 2016 through December 2019 were obtained. Models (aggregated and stratified by internet, spot TV, and local radio) compared whether levels and trends in the outcomes changed from pre- to post-tax in Philadelphia compared to Baltimore. There were no significant differences in taxed beverage advertising expenditures between Philadelphia and Baltimore for trends pretax, at implementation, or post-tax.

Full citation: Hua, S. V., Lee, M. M., Mozaffarian, R., Bleich, S. N., Roberto, C. A., Fleming-Milici, F., Stephenson, B., & Kenney, E. L. (2024). Philadelphia Beverage Tax’s impact on beverage ad expenditures and number of ads purchased. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2024.03.011

This secondary analysis of the SuperShelf cluster-randomized trial assessed whether the effect of SuperShelf on client diet quality differed by equity characteristics. English-, Spanish-, or Somali-speaking adult clients from 11 food pantries in Minnesota were included (N = 193). In separate adjusted models, the interactions of SuperShelf and gender, education, or employment status were not significant. The interaction of SuperShelf and race/ethnicity was significant (p-interaction = 0.008), but pairwise comparisons in diet quality were non-significant in all racial/ethnic subgroups. SuperShelf did not have differential effects on diet quality by gender, race/ethnicity, education, or employment status, suggesting it does not worsen dietary disparities among food pantry clients, though more subgroup analyses are needed to explore potential racial/ethnic disparities in this context.

Full Citation: Jia, J., Gombi-Vaca, M. F., Bliss Barsness, C., Peterson, H., Pratt, R., Wolfson, J., & Caspi, C. E. (2024). Effect of a Multicomponent Food Pantry Intervention in Client Subgroups. Nutrients, 16(6), 805. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16060805

The study evaluates the immediate and long-term consequences of gray divorce (i.e., marital dissolution after age 50) for the food security, depression, and disability of older Americans. Staggered Difference-in-Difference models were fitted to a nationally representative longitudinal sample of adults aged ≥ 50 years from the Health and Retirement Study, 1998–2018. Food insecurity and disability increase in the year of gray divorce and remain significantly elevated for up to six years or more following the event, consistent with the chronic strain model of gray divorce. Gray divorce has particularly adverse consequences for the food security of older women, while no gender differences were observed for disability. 

Full Citation: Zhao H., Andreyeva T., Sun X. (2024). Food insecurity and health outcomes following gray divorce. Nutrients, 16(5), 633. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16050633

This study examined the relationship between negative familial weight talk and weight bias internalization and examine differences by gender, weight status, and race and ethnicity. We cross-sectionally analyzed 5th–7th graders (10–15 years old) living in Massachusetts (n = 375, 52.3% girls, 21.3% BMI ≥85th percentile, 54.8% non-Hispanic White). Children experiencing negative familial weight talk occasionally (RoM = 1.12, p = 0.024) and often (RoM = 1.48, p < 0.001) had significantly higher weight bias internalization than children who never experienced it. Frequent negative familial weight talk was associated with higher weight bias internalization across gender and weight status and in non-Hispanic White children only.

Full citation: Rancano, K.M., Puhl, R.M.,Skeer, M.,Eliasziw, M., Must, A. (2024). Negative familial weight talk and weight bias internalization in early adolescents. Pediatric Obesity. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.13108

This study aimed to describe the association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and frequency of snacking. We analyzed data from 46,164 participants (≥ 10 years old) in the 2017–2018 Brazilian Household Budget Survey. Dietary data were collected by 24-h dietary recalls over one or two days for each participant. We found a statistically significant tendency of increased daily energy intake and consumption of snacks and that ultra-processed food consumption was positively associated with the level of snacking for all age groups. Efforts to mitigate ultra-processed food attributes that facilitate snacking should be incorporated into strategies to promote healthier food choices, especially among adolescents.

Full Citation: Gombi-Vaca, MF; Martinez-Steele, E; Andrade, GC; Louzada, MLC; Levy, RB. (2024). Association between ultra-processed food and snacking behavior in Brazil. European Journal of Nutrition. Published online: 15 February 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-024-03340-y

Meal distribution patterns for 2019, 2020, and 2021 were examined through (1) a descriptive comparison of the number of participating districts, sponsors, meal sites, and meals distributed statewide, and (2) repeated measures ANOVAs to examine changes among districts in operation all years. The waivers were associated with an increase in the total number of participating districts, sponsors, and meal sites; an increase in the total number of meals distributed to children during the summer months; and an increase in meal distribution among sponsors that had been in place since 2019. This study provides important preliminary evidence to suggest that the USDA should consider permanent regulatory changes to this program to maximize its reach.

Full Citation: Burkholder, K., Bennett, B.L., McKee, S.L., Cohen, J.F.W., Xu, R., Schwartz, M.B. (2024). Participation in the US Department of Agriculture Summer Meal Programs: 2019-2021. Journal of School Health. DOI: 10.1111/josh.13438

This study assessed competitive foods in a national sample of 90 middle and high schools. Overall, 80% of the schools in the sample sold competitive foods; but they were less commonly available in schools with universal free school meal (UFSM) policies. A total of 840 unique products were documented and, on average, 75% were compliant with Smart Snacks standards. A total of 56% aligned with recommended added sugar limits (<10% of calories); and 340 unique products (40%) aligned with both sugar and Smart Snacks standards. Approximately one-fifth of competitive foods contained synthetic dyes, and 31% of beverages contained artificial sweeteners. Smart Snacks standards compliance was greater when competitive foods were overseen by food service departments, in comparison with others (e.g., principals, student organizations, or outside vendors [77% vs. 59% compliance; p = 0.003]).

Full citation: Cohen, J.F.W., Kesack, A., Daly, T.P., Elnakib, S.A., Hager, E., Hahn, S., Hamlin, D., …Chapman, L. E. (2004). Competitive Foods’ Nutritional Quality and Compliance with Smart Snacks Standards: An Analysis of a National Sample of U.S. Middle and High Schools. Nutrients, 16, 275. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16020275

Parental perceptions of school meals can affect student participation and overall support for school meal policies. Among 1110 California parents of K–12 students, most reported school meals benefit their families, saving them money (81.6%), time (79.2%), and stress (75.0%). Few reported that their child would be embarrassed to eat school meals (11.7%), but more parents of White students than Hispanic students reported this. Many parents reported that their child likes to eat lunch to be with friends (64.7%); about half felt their child has enough time to eat (54.2%). Fewer parents perceived school lunches to be of good quality (36.9%), tasty (39.6%), or healthy (44.0%). Parents of Hispanic and Asian students had less favorable perceptions of school meal quality, taste, and healthfulness than parents of White students.

Full citation: Zuercher, M. D., Cohen, J. F., Ohri-Vachaspati, P., Hecht, C. A., Hecht, K., Polacsek, M., … & Gosliner, W. (2024). Parent perceptions of school meals and how perceptions differ by race and ethnicity. Health Affairs Scholar, 2(1), qxad092.