A study published by JAMA Pediatrics reports that states with stricter school meal nutrition standards have better weight status among students who eat free or reduced price lunches in school compared to students who do not eat lunch in schools
The research was conducted on 4, 870 students across 40 states in the U.S. It found that states that followed the standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for nutrition in lunch were fitter compared to those who neglected the rules.
According to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) started in 1946, schools have to provide lunch as per the standards set by USDA. However, the initiative has continuously drawn criticisms for not following the USDA standards.
The difference in obesity prevalence between students who received free or reduced-price lunches as per the USDA standards and beyond and students who did not get meals at school, was 12.3 percent low compared with the states that did not follow USDA standards.
The study conducted by Daniel R Taber of the University of Illinois and his colleagues states, "In states that did not exceed USDA standards, students who obtained free/reduced-price lunches were almost twice as likely to be obese than students who did not obtain school lunches (26 percent and 13.9 percent, respectively), whereas the disparity between groups was markedly reduced in states that exceeded USDA standards (21.1 percent and 17.4 percent, respectively)."
The study further states, "The evidence in this study suggests that ongoing changes to school meal standards have the potential to reduce obesity, particularly among students who are eligible for free/reduced-price lunches, though additional longitudinal research is needed to confirm this."
