Prevalence and Implementation Characteristics of Weekend Food Assistance Programs in U.S. Schools.

Autor: Poole MK; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: mkpoole@hsph.harvard.edu., Tucker K; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Office of Student Wellbeing, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts., Adams K; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; The Greater Boston Food Bank, Boston, Massachusetts., Rimm EB; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts., Emmons KM; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts., Gortmaker SL; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts., Norris J; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts., Kenney EL; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: American journal of preventive medicine [Am J Prev Med] 2024 Oct; Vol. 67 (4), pp. 503-511. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jun 15.
DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2024.06.001
Abstrakt: Introduction: Amid national efforts to align priorities for nutrition and food assistance programs, little is known about the implementation of community-led efforts for children. This study aimed to estimate U.S. public school participation in weekend backpack programs (WBPs), to document program structure, and to consider characteristics of programs with more nutritious food offerings.
Methods: The prevalence of WBP participation in 2022 was estimated using a state-stratified, random sample of n=413 public schools. Administrators from WBPs at 49 schools completed measures of implementation characteristics and nutritional quality of foods offered. In 2022-2023, using a multivariable-adjusted linear regression model, the authors explored the association between hypothesized implementation characteristics and Healthy Eating Index-2015 scores of foods provided.
Results: Half of public schools (53.7%, 95% CI: 46.8%, 60.7%) in the national sample reported participating in WBPs. Many WBPs in the subsample were affiliated with anti-hunger organizations (41%), led by school counselors and volunteers (55%), and funded by grants (51%). WBPs spent an average of $0.56 (sd=$0.36) per item. Foods provided averaged a Healthy Eating Index-2015 score of 58.4 (sd=12.3), similar to children's average diets. About half of WBPs (41%) reported accessing nutrition resources.
Conclusions: Despite the decentralized structure and absence of dedicated funding mechanisms, WBPs were common in our national sample of schools, suggesting widespread perceptions of unmet food needs and extensive efforts from community members to mitigate weekend hunger. Further research on food procurement methods and program impacts on child nutrition outcomes is needed to advance national priorities for nutrition and food security.
(Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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