Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes in Child Nutrition Programs: A Systematic Literature Review.
Adv Nutr
; 15(1): 100116, 2024 Jan.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37716534
ABSTRACT
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides healthy food to millions of children annually. To promote increased lunch consumption, policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change strategies are being implemented in child nutrition programs. An evaluation of the current evidence supporting PSE interventions in school nutrition programs is needed to facilitate evidence-based practices across the nation for programs. This systematic review aims to determine the quality and breadth of available evidence of the effectiveness of PSE strategies on the consumption and waste of fruits, vegetables, milk, and water in the NSLP. The inclusion criteria required studies to occur in a United States K-12 school setting, data collection after 2012, report consumption and waste findings for fruit, vegetable, milk, or water, and be an original research article. Articles included in the review are restricted to positive or neutral quality. Thirty studies are included, policy level (n = 4), systems level (n = 8), environmental level (n = 10), and multi-category (n = 8). Results from positively rated policy-level studies suggest that recess before lunch may increase milk consumption, whereas removing flavored milk may decrease consumption. System-level studies of offering vegetables first in isolation of other meal components and offering spiced vegetables compared with traditional preparations may increase vegetable consumption, and locally procuring produce may increase fruit and vegetable consumption. Environmental-level studies such as water promotion strategies such as placing cups near drinking fountains may increase water consumption. Improving the convenience, attractiveness, and palatability of fruits and vegetables may increase consumption. Future PSE research in child nutrition programs should incorporate implementation aides and metrics into their study designs to allow a better understanding of how to sustain interventions from the perspective of school nutrition professionals.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
/
Food Services
Type of study:
Systematic_reviews
Limits:
Child
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
Language:
En
Journal:
Adv Nutr
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Estados Unidos
Publication country:
EEUU
/
ESTADOS UNIDOS
/
ESTADOS UNIDOS DA AMERICA
/
EUA
/
UNITED STATES
/
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
/
US
/
USA