Association between Nutrition Policies and Student Body Mass Index
In response to concerns about childhood obesity, many US states have implemented policies to limit the sale of unhealthy foods and beverages (e.g., snacks, desserts, and sugary drinks) sold in competition with school meal programs (i.e., competitive foods) in order to improve the nutritional environment of schools and support student health. This study measured state-level competitive food and beverage policies that require foods and beverages sold in à la carte lines, vending machines, and school stores to meet strong nutrition standards and tested the hypothesis that students living in states with stronger laws would have lower body mass index (BMI)-for-age percentiles.
Full Citation: Schwartz MB, Leider J, Cohen JFW, Turner L, Chriqui JF. Association between Nutrition Policies and Student Body Mass Index. Nutrients. 2020;13(1):13. Published 2020 Dec 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13010013