State Laws Are Associated with School Lunch Duration and Promotion Practices
Open accessAbstract
Background The changes in school meal programs stemming from the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 have expanded interest in strategies that increase student participation in school lunch and reduce plate waste. However, it remains unclear what factors are associated with schools' use of such strategies. Objective This study examines whether state laws are associated with two types of school meal-related practices: (a) using promotional strategies (ie, taste tests, using posters or announcements) and (b) duration of lunch periods. Design This cross-sectional study utilized the nationally representative 2014 School Health Policies and Practices Study, combined with corresponding state laws gathered by the National Wellness Policy Study. School data were available from 414 public schools in 43 states. Main outcome measures Outcome measures included 16 strategies to promote school meals and the amount of time students had to eat lunch after being seated. Statistical analyses performed Multivariate logistic regression and Poisson regression were used to examine associations between state laws and school practices, after accounting for school demographic characteristics. Results Compared to schools in states with no law about engaging stakeholders in meal programs, schools in states with a law were more likely to conduct taste tests (64% vs 44%, P=0.016), collect suggestions from students (67% vs 50%, P=0.017), and invite family members to a school meal (71% vs 53%, P=0.015). Schools used more promotion strategies in states with a law than in states without a law (mean=10.4 vs 8.8, P=0.003). Schools were more likely to provide students at least 30 minutes to eat lunch after being seated in states with laws that addressed a minimum amount of time for lunch duration (43% vs 27%, P=0.042). Conclusions State-level policy provisions are associated with school practices. Policy development in more states may support school practices that promote lunch participation and consumption.
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States with laws addressing minimum lunch duration are more likely to provide a minimum of 30 min of lunch.
“States with laws addressing minimum lunch duration are more likely to provide a minimum of 30 min of lunch [40], indicating that state‐level lunch policies have the ability to influence school‐level practices.”
From When to Eat and When to Play: Variations in Recess and Lunch Scheduling Within a State 40‐Min Recess Policy (2025) · cites this paper as [40]
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Cites
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Calvert, H. G., Ohri-Vachaspati, P., McQuilkin, M., Boedeker, P., & Turner, L. (2021) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph18168558 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Self-citationHowie, E. K., Harden, S. M., Lemus, J., Stone, B., Barr‐Anderson, D. J., & Long, C. R. (2025) · Journal of School Health · doi:10.1111/josh.70055 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Turner, L., Leider, J., Piekarz-Porter, E., Schwartz, M. B., Merlo, C., Brener, N., & Chriqui, J. F.
- Affiliations
- Boise State University (US)
- University of Illinois Chicago (US)
- University of Connecticut (US)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
- Corresponding author
- Turner, Lindsey
- Venue
- Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-03
- Volume
- 118
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 455-463
- ISSN
- 2212-2672 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6049821
- OpenAlex
- W2765656776
- Cited by
- 18
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 4.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (CC999999)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
- Keywords
- school lunch programs, state law, Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, taste testing, plate waste, student participation, school meal policy, stakeholder engagement, public schools
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Food Services, Health Policy, Humans, Male, School Health Services, State Government, Time Factors, United States, Multivariate Analysis, Logistic Models, Nutrition Policy, Lunch
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