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ERIC Number: EJ1161316
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1559-5676
EISSN: N/A
School Breakfast Programs with Implementation of Farm to School Have No Influence on Body Weight among 3rd and 4th Grade Students
Brzozowski, Hannah; Ogan, Dana; Englund, Tim; Stendell-Hollis, Nicole
Journal of Child Nutrition & Management, v41 n2 Fall 2017
Objectives: To examine the association between frequency of breakfast consumption and body mass index (BMI) among elementary students participating in a traditional School Breakfast Program (SBP) in a school district that is implementing a Farm to School (F2S) program compared to those participating in a traditional SBP without F2S. Methods: This cross-sectional study matched ten schools with a traditional SBP, five with F2S (A) and five without F2S (B). Third- and fourth-grade students (n = 1031) were recruited for study participation. Demographic information, frequency of breakfast participation, and anthropometric data were collected. BMI and frequency of breakfast consumption over a ten-day period, excluding non-school days, were stratified by frequent eaters (7-10), occasional eaters (3- 6), and skippers (0-2). Results: No significant difference in BMI-for-age between F2S (A) and traditional SBP (B) was observed. There was also no significant correlation between BMI or BMI-for-age and breakfast participation observed. This data suggests that there is no relationship between F2S participation and BMI-for-age and no correlation between breakfast consumption and BMI-for-age among third- and fourth-grade students. Hispanic and Latino students were more likely to qualify for free and reduced lunch (p<0.001). Free and reduced school meals students were more likely to be overweight or obese than students that qualify for paid school meals (p<0.001). In both districts, students that were offered breakfast in the classroom were 30% more likely to participate than students offered breakfast in the cafeteria. Applications to Child Nutrition Professionals: Based on this limited study, a F2S program alone is unlikely to be an effective strategy to prevent/reduce childhood overweight and obesity unless fully implemented. Future strategies should focus on lower socio-economic status students and minority groups due to their increased rates and predisposition of overweight and obesity. Offering breakfast in the classroom may be a positive method of increasing breakfast participation in all types of school breakfast programs.
School Nutrition Association. 120 Waterfront Street Suite 300, National Harbor, MD 20745. Tel: 301-686-3100; Fax: 301-686-3115; e-mail: servicecenter@schoolnutrition.org; Web site: http://schoolnutrition.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Washington
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A