Citation
Akin, John S.; Guilkey, David K.; Haines, Pamela S.; & Popkin, Barry M. (1983). The Impact of the School Lunch Program on Nutrient Intake. School Food Service Research Review, 7(1), 13-18.Abstract
The purpose of this research was to determine the impact of school lunch program participation on nutrient intakes of school children ages six to 18. Data from the basic sample of the Nationwide Food Consumption Survey are analyzed by multivariate methods. Among children ages six to 11, school lunch participation is associated with greater 24-hour intakes of all nutrients relative to the intakes of children who consume other types of lunch. Children who eat other kinds of lunch consume more of 11 to 15 nutrients than children to do not eat lunch, but school lunch participants always consume more of every nutrient than those skipping lunch. Among adolescent, school lunch participation is associated with greater 24-hour intakes of 12 to 15 nutrients relative to the intakes of children who eat other kinds of lunch. Although eating a non-school lunch often is associated with higher 24-hour nutrient intakes than intakes of those who skip lunch, school lunch participation always is found to augment the nutrient benefits of eating lunch. In addition, older school lunch participants consume greater 24-hour levels of vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 than do adolescents who eat non-school lunches or eat no lunch. Simulations used to contrast the marginal benefits of school lunch participation in terms of percentage of the Recommended dietary Allowances (RDA) consumed for selected nutrients indicate that school lunch consistently augments the average intake to nearer to or above the respective RDA.Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
1983Journal Title
School Food Service Research ReviewAuthor(s)
Akin, John S.Guilkey, David K.
Haines, Pamela S.
Popkin, Barry M.