Consumption of Low-Nutrient, Energy-Dense Foods and Beverages at School, Home, and Other Locations Among School Lunch Participants and Nonparticipants

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) play a pivotal role in contributing low-nutrient, energy-dense calories to the diets of schoolchildren. Tracking dietary patterns related to low-nutrient, energy-dense items (LNEDs) at various consumption locations helps describe overall energy intake.

This report used data from the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-III) to examine dietary patterns related to participation and nonparticipation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Twenty-four hour dietary recalls captured the time, name, contents and source of each meal. Detailed tabulations relate school meal participation and nonparticipation, school level, overall energy intake, and intake of low-nutrient, energy-dense food items.

Key Findings:  

  • Energy from SSBs accounts for the entire energy differential between SSB consumers and nonconsumers at the elementary school level. At the secondary school level, SSB-derived energy accounts for over half of the difference.
  • NSLP participants are significantly less likely than nonparticipants to consume sugar-sweetened beverages at school. The differential is greatest at the elementary school level where SSB consumption is more than four times greater for nonparticipants.

This study intended to test the hypothesis that NSLP participants eat more low-nutrient energy-dense calories at home to make up forgoing them at school. Evidence was not found to support this claim.

Improving Child Nutrition Policy

  1. 1 The Third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study
  2. 2 A Practice Perspective on the Third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study
  3. 3 Evaluation's Vital Role in Healthier School Meals
  4. 4 Meals Offered and Served in US Public Schools
  5. 5 Nutritional Quality of the Diets of US Public School Children and the Role of the School Meal Programs
  6. 6 Availability and Consumption of Competitive Foods in US Public Schools
  7. 7 School Meals
  8. 8 Consumption of Low-Nutrient, Energy-Dense Foods and Beverages at School, Home, and Other Locations Among School Lunch Participants and Nonparticipants
  9. 9 School Food Environments and Practices Affect Dietary Behaviors of US Public School Children
  10. 10 Association Between School Food Environment and Practices and Body Mass Index of U.S. Public School Children
  11. 11 School Breakfast Program But Not School Lunch Program Participation is Associated with Lower Body Mass Index

Explore Related

Most Requested