Impact of Deimplementing Universal Free School Meals: School Food Authority Perspectives

IF 2.3 3区医学 Q2 EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Pub Date : 2025-10-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jneb.2025.06.001

Juliana F.W. Cohen ScD, RD , Monica D. Zuercher PhD , Dania Orta-Aleman PhD , Leah E. Chapman PhD , Christina A. Hecht PhD , Kenneth Hecht LLB , Punam Ohri-Vachaspati PhD, RD , Deborah A. Olarte PhD, RD , Anisha I. Patel MD , Michele Polacsek PhD , Marlene B. Schwartz PhD , Lorrene D. Ritchie PhD, RD , Wendi Gosliner DrPH, RD

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

To examine the impact of deimplementing universal free school meal (UFSM) policies on school food authorities (SFAs) vs continuing UFSM with state-level policies.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Participants

A total of 941 SFAs in 8 US states with and without UFSM policies completed a survey during the spring of 2023.

Main Outcome Measures

The SFA survey assessed school meal participation rates, foodservice revenues, staffing needs, administrative burdens, and student stigma and meal debt.

Analyses

Chi-square tests (Test of homogeneity) and generalized estimating equation regression models clustering by state were used to examine differences by UFSM status (deimplementing vs continuing), adjusting for school demographic characteristics.

Results

Compared with SFAs in states that continued UFSM, deimplementation of UFSM was associated with reported declines in school meal participation and foodservice revenues (73% reported declines with deimplementation vs 15% with UFSM policies; P < 0.001), as well as increases in school meal debt (76% vs 5%; P < 0.001) and stigma for students from low-income households (26% vs 5%; P < 0.001). States that deimplemented UFSM reported lower foodservice staffing challenges, potentially because of the lower participation rates.

Conclusions and Implications

Overall, the results of this study suggest that deimplementing UFSM is adversely impacting SFAs and students. Policies to reimplement UFSM could help reduce stigma and meal debt, as well as provide more students access to healthy meals and better nutrition. Strategies to support states with UFSM—including more ways to address current staffing challenges/shortages—are needed.

查看原文本刊更多论文

取消普遍免费校餐的影响：学校食品管理局的观点。

目的：研究取消普遍免费校餐政策对学校食品管理机构（SFAs）的影响与继续实施普遍免费校餐政策对州一级政策的影响。设计：横断面研究。参与者：在2023年春季，美国8个州共有941个SFAs完成了一项调查，这些州有或没有UFSM政策。主要结果衡量指标：SFA调查评估了学校供餐参与率、餐饮服务收入、人员需求、行政负担、学生污名和供餐债务。分析：使用卡方检验（同质性检验）和按州聚类的广义估计方程回归模型来检查unfsm状态（取消与继续）的差异，并根据学校人口统计学特征进行调整。结果：与继续实施统一管理政策的州的SFAs相比，废除统一管理政策与学校供餐参与和餐饮服务收入的下降有关(73%的人报告说废除了统一管理政策，而15%的人报告说废除了统一管理政策；P < 0.001)，以及学校膳食债务的增加(76% vs 5%；P < 0.001)和对低收入家庭学生的污名(26% vs 5%；P < 0.001)。取消unfsm的州报告说，餐饮服务人员配备方面的挑战较低，可能是因为参与率较低。结论和意义：总的来说，本研究的结果表明，取消统一管理对学生和学生产生了不利影响。重新实施联合管理方案的政策可以帮助减少耻辱和膳食债务，并为更多学生提供健康膳食和更好的营养。需要采取战略支持各州实施ufsm，包括采取更多方法解决当前的人员配备挑战/短缺问题。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 医学-学科教育

CiteScore

4.20

自引率

11.50%

发文量

379

审稿时长

44 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), the official journal of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, is a refereed, scientific periodical that serves as a global resource for all professionals with an interest in nutrition education; nutrition and physical activity behavior theories and intervention outcomes; complementary and alternative medicine related to nutrition behaviors; food environment; food, nutrition, and physical activity communication strategies including technology; nutrition-related economics; food safety education; and scholarship of learning related to these areas. The purpose of JNEB is to document and disseminate original research and emerging issues and practices relevant to these areas worldwide. The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior welcomes evidence-based manuscripts that provide new insights and useful findings related to nutrition education research, practice and policy. The content areas of JNEB reflect the diverse interests in nutrition and physical activity related to public health, nutritional sciences, education, behavioral economics, family and consumer sciences, and eHealth, including the interests of community-based nutrition-practitioners. As the Society''s official journal, JNEB also includes policy statements, issue perspectives, position papers, and member communications.