Advertisement
Research Research and Professional Briefs| Volume 115, ISSUE 1, P101-105, January 2015

Download started.

Ok

Snacks, Beverages, Vending Machines, and School Stores: A Comparison of Alternative and Regular Schools in Minnesota, 2002 to 2008

Published:August 12, 2014DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.06.359

      Abstract

      In US secondary schools, vending machines and school stores are a common source of low-nutrient, energy-dense snacks and beverages, including sugar-sweetened beverages, high-fat salty snacks, and candy. However, little is known about the prevalence of these food practices in alternative schools, which are educational settings for students at risk of academic failure due to truancy, school expulsion, and behavior problems. Nationwide, more than 5,000 alternative schools enroll about one-half million students who are disproportionately minority and low-income youth. Principal survey data from a cross-sectional sample of alternative (n=104) and regular (n=339) schools collected biennially from 2002-2008 as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Minnesota School Health Profiles were used to assess and compare food practice prevalence over time. Generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate prevalence, adjusting for school demographics. Over time, food practice prevalence decreased significantly for both alternative and regular schools, although declines were mostly modest. However, the decrease in high-fat, salty snacks was significantly less for alternative than regular schools (–22.9% vs –42.2%; P<0.0001). Efforts to improve access to healthy food choices at school should reach all schools, including alternative schools. Study findings suggest high-fat salty snacks are more common in vending machines and school stores in alternative schools than regular schools, which may contribute to increased snacking behavior among students and extra consumption of salt, fat, and sugar. Study findings support the need to include alternative schools in future efforts that aim to reform the school food environment.

      Keywords

      To read this article in full you will need to make a payment

      Purchase one-time access:

      Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online access
      One-time access price info
      • For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
      • For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'

      Subscribe:

      Subscribe to Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
      Already a print subscriber? Claim online access
      Already an online subscriber? Sign in
      Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect

      References

        • O’Toole T.P.
        • Anderson S.
        • Miller C.
        • et al.
        Nutrition services and foods and beverages available at school: Results from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006.
        J Sch Health. 2007; 77: 500-521
      1. US Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service Office of Research and Analysis. School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study-IV, summary of findings. November 2012. http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/publications/PDFs/nutrition/snda-iv_findings.pdf. Accessed July 31, 2013.

      2. Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Healthy schools program. https://www.healthiergeneration.org/_asset/l062yk/07-278_HSPFramework.pdf/. 2013. Accessed February 3, 2014.

      3. Boehmer TK, Brownson RC, Haire-Joshu D, Dreisinger ML. Patterns of childhood obesity prevention legislation in the United States. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online]. 2007. http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2007/jul/06_0082.htm. Accessed February 3, 2014.

        • Institute of Medicine
        Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools: Leading the Way Toward Healthier Youth.
        National Academies Press, Washington DC2007
      4. Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/108/s2507. Accessed February 3, 2014.

      5. Let’s Move. Healthy schools. http://www.letsmove.gov/eat-healthy. Accessed February 3, 2014.

      6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Competitive foods and beverages in US schools: A state policy analysis. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/nutrition/pdf/compfoodsbooklet.pdf. Accessed July 31, 2013.

      7. Chriqui JF, Resnick EA, Schneider L, et al. School district wellness policies: Evaluating progress and potential for improving children’s health five years after the federal mandate. School years 2006-07 through 2010-11. http://www.bridgingthegapresearch.org/_asset/13s2jm/WP_2013_report.pdf. Accessed July 31, 2013.

        • Terry-McElrath Y.M.
        • Johnston L.D.
        • O’Malley P.M.
        Trends in competitive venue beverage availability: Findings from US secondary schools.
        Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012; 166: 776-778
        • Kleiner B.
        • Porch R.
        • Farris E.
        Public alternative schools and programs for students at risk of education failure: 2000-01 (NCES 2002-004).
        National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, DC2002
        • Kyle T.M.
        • Brener N.D.
        • Kann L.
        • et al.
        Methods: School health policies and program study 2006.
        J Sch Health. 2007; 77: 398-407
      8. National Center for Education Statistics. Number and enrollment of public elementary and secondary schools, by school type, level, and charter and magnet status: Selected years, 1990-91 through 2009-10. http://www.nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d11/tables/dt11_101.asp. Accessed July 15, 2013.

      9. Lehr CA, Moreau RA, Lange CM, Lanners EJ. Alternative schools: Findings from a national survey of the states. September 2004. http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED502534.pdf. Accessed July 18, 2013.

        • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
        CDC health disparities and inequality report—United States, 2011.
        MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2011; 60: 1-113
        • Ogden C.L.
        • Carroll M.D.
        • Flegal K.M.
        High body mass index for age among US children and adolescents, 2003-2006.
        JAMA. 2008; 299: 2401-2405
        • de Ferranti S.D.
        • Gauvreau K.
        • Ludwig D.S.
        • Neufield E.J.
        • Newburger J.W.
        • Rifai N.
        Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in American adolescents. Findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
        Circulation. 2004; 110: 2494-2497
        • Kubik M.Y.
        • Lytle L.A.
        • Fulkerson J.A.
        Fruits, vegetables and football: Results from focus groups with alternative high school students regarding eating and physical activity.
        J Adolesc Health. 2005; 36: 494-500
        • Kubik M.Y.
        • Lytle L.A.
        • Fulkerson J.A.
        Physical activity, dietary practices and other health behaviors of at-risk youth attending alternative high schools.
        J Sch Health. 2004; 74: 119-124
        • Arcan C.
        • Kubik M.Y.
        • Fulkerson J.A.
        • Davey C.
        • Story M.
        Association between food opportunities during the school day and selected dietary behaviors of students attending alternative high schools.
        Prev Chronic Dis. 2011; 8: A08
        • Brener N.D.
        • McManus T.
        • Foti K.
        • et al.
        School Health Profiles 2008: Characteristics of Health Programs Among Secondary Schools.
        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA2009 (Accessed March 1, 2013)
      10. Minnesota Department of Education. http://w20.education.state.mn.us/MDEAnalytics/Data.jsp. Accessed March 20, 2013.

      11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adolescent and school health. School health profiles. Participation history and data quality, 1996-2010. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/profiles/history.htm. Accessed July 31, 2013.

        • Whalen L.G.
        • Grunbaum J.A.
        • Kann L.
        • Hawkins J.
        • McManus T.
        • Davis K.S.
        School Health Profiles: Surveillance For Characteristics of Health Programs Among Secondary Schools (Profiles 2002).
        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA2004
        • Brener N.D.
        • Demissie Z.
        • Foti K.
        • et al.
        School Health Profiles 2010: Characteristics of Health Programs Among Secondary Schools.
        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA2011
      12. National Center for Education statistics. Common core of data. http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/. Accessed March 20, 2013.

      13. US Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Rural-urban community area codes. http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-commuting-area-codes.aspx. Accessed March 20, 2013.

        • Wechsler H.
        • Brener N.D.
        • Kuester S.
        • Miller C.
        Food service and foods and beverages available at school: Results from the School Health Policies and Program Study 2000.
        J Sch Health. 2001; 71: 313-324
        • Neumark-Sztainer D.
        • French S.A.
        • Hannan P.J.
        • Story M.
        • Fulkerson J.A.
        School lunch and snacking patterns among high school students: Associations with school food environment and policies.
        Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2005; 2: 14
        • Kubik M.Y.
        • Lytle L.A.
        • Hannan P.J.
        • Perry C.L.
        • Story M.
        The association of the school food environment with dietary behaviors of young adolescents.
        Am J Public Health. 2003; 93: 1168-1173
        • Piernas C.
        • Popkin B.M.
        Trends in snacking among US children.
        Health Aff. 2010; 29: 398-404
        • US Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services
        Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010.
        7th ed. US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC2010
      14. Sodium Intake in Populations. Assessment of Evidence. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. May 2013. http://www.iom.edu/∼/media/Files/Report%20Files/2013/Sodium-Intake-Populations/SodiumIntakeinPopulations_RB.pdf. Accessed July 15, 2013.

        • Strom B.L.
        • Anderson C.A.M.
        • Ix J.H.
        Sodium reduction in populations. Insights from the Institute of Medicine Committee.
        JAMA. 2013; 310: 31-32
        • Larson N.
        • Story M.
        A review of snacking patterns among children and adolescents: What are the implications of snacking for weight status?.
        Child Obes. 2013; 9: 104-115
        • Kubik M.Y.
        • Davey C.
        • Nanney M.S.
        • MacLehose R.F.
        • Nelson T.F.
        • Coombes B.
        Vending and school store snack and beverage trends. Minnesota secondary schools, 2002 to 2010.
        Am J Prev Med. 2013; 44: 583-588
      15. Robert Wood Johnson and PEW Health Group. Kids’ safe healthful foods project. Out of balance. A look at snack foods in secondary schools across the states. October 2012. http://www.pewhealth.org/uploadedFiles/KSHF_OutofBalance_WebFINAL102612.pdf. Accessed February 3, 2014.

      Biography

      M. Y. Kubik is an associate professor, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

      Biography

      C. Davey is a senior research fellow, Biostatistical Design and Analysis Center, Clinical and Translation Science Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

      Biography

      R. F. MacLehose is an associate professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

      Biography

      B. Coombes is a graduate research assistant, Division of Biostatistics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

      Biography

      M. S. Nanney is an associate professor, Division of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.