Abstract
Data from four cross-sectional studies involving fourth-grade children were analyzed
to investigate the relationship between participation in school-provided meals and
body mass index (BMI), and the effect observed energy intake has on that relationship.
Participation and BMI data were available on 1,535 children (51% black; 51% girls)
for 4 school years (fall 1999 to spring 2003; one study per school year) at 13 schools
total. Direct meal observations were available for a subset of 342 children (54% black;
50% girls) for one to three breakfasts and one to three lunches per child for a total
of 1,264 school meals (50% breakfast). Participation in breakfast, lunch, and combined
(both meals on the same day) was determined from nametag records compiled for meal
observations for each study. Weight and height were measured. A marginal regression
model was fit with BMI as the dependent variable; independent variables were breakfast
participation, lunch participation, combined participation, sex, age, race, and study.
For the subset of children, observed energy intake at breakfast, lunch, and combined
was included in additional analyses. Participation in breakfast, lunch, and combined
was not significantly associated with BMI regardless of whether analyses included
observed energy intake (P values >0.181). The relationship between observed energy intake at breakfast and
lunch, separately and combined, with BMI was positive (P values <0.01). In conclusion, these results do not support a relationship between
school-meal participation and BMI but do support a relationship between observed energy
intake at school meals and BMI during fourth grade.
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Biography
A. E. Paxton is a research dietitian, Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Biography
C. H. Guinn is a research dietitian, Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Biography
C. M. Devlin is a research dietitian, Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Biography
S. D. Baxter is a research professor, Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Biography
J. A. Royer is a research associate, Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Biography
C. J. Finney is a research associate, Institute for Families in Society, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Biography
J. M. Tebbs is an associate professor, Department of Statistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 22, 2011
Accepted:
July 11,
2011
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
