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Race/Ethnicity Predicts School Meal Participation
1Department of Public Health, Brigham Young University, 4103 LSB, Provo, UT, 84602., USA.
The Journal of School Health
|November 15, 2022
Summary
School meal participation varies by race/ethnicity and acculturation. Understanding these differences is key to improving child nutrition programs for all students.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
- Adolescent Health
Background:
- School meals positively impact children's diets, but participation can be improved.
- Limited research exists on how race/ethnicity and acculturation affect school meal uptake among adolescents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of acculturation and race/ethnicity on school meal participation in middle school students.
- To identify factors associated with school meal participation for improved child nutrition.
Main Methods:
- A national convenience sample of 617 adolescents completed a survey on acculturation and obesogenic behaviors.
- Two logistic regression models analyzed associations between school meal participation and various factors.
Main Results:
- Over a quarter of students ate school lunch daily (26.2%), and 17.4% ate school breakfast daily.
- Race/ethnicity, meal preference, taste, convenience, cost, and parental influence significantly predicted lunch participation.
- Race/ethnicity, time abroad, perceived healthiness, meal preference, taste, and cost predicted breakfast participation.
Conclusions:
- Participation rates in school meal programs differ significantly by race/ethnicity and acculturation levels.
- Child nutrition professionals should address barriers for minoritized students who may have poorer diets.
- Increasing participation requires considering factors like cost, taste, and perceived meal healthiness.
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