1. Research on School Nutrition Policies and Programs Dr. Mary McKenna Faculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB Food Secure Canada, Montreal, QC, November 2013

2. Questions • How many breakfasts did Nourish Nova Scotia provide last year in provincial schools? • https://nourishns.ca/our-story • What research offers the most compelling data to help Raise the Bar on Student Food Programs?

3. Overview • Any aspect of an issue is a potential research topic • Problem definition • Scope of the problem • Alternative views • Solutions • Stakeholders • Accountability and monitoring

4. Why student nutrition programs? • Problem definition influences stakeholder involvement and identification of solutions • How does problem identification influence current and proposed actions and stakeholders? • Do we require a common understanding of ‘the problem’ to proceed successfully? • Why are student nutrition programs needed? • Hungry students • Insufficient availability of healthy food • Insufficient availability of local, sustainable food • Inadequate/inappropriate food to support optimal learning • Child poverty • A combination/all of the above

5. What is the scope of the problem? • If we had a better understanding of what is happening in student nutrition, would it enable us to make a more compelling case? • How many students access student nutrition programs? • Where are programs located? • http://globalnews.ca/news/370804/income-by-postal-code/ • What is the relationship if any between program locations and household income levels? • What level of funding exists for programs and who are the funders?

6. Alternative Views • What data are needed to address alternative views? • Families should feed their children/are not the responsibility of schools • Student nutrition programs are an inappropriate response to the problem • When framed as a student hunger issue, it distracts policy-makers from the fundamental issue of child poverty • As a social policy tool, student nutrition programs are too expensive relative to their potential benefits • Student nutrition programs are not within the jurisdiction of the federal government • Insufficient evidence exists regarding the benefits of student nutrition programs

7. Solutions • What are components of effective and sustainable models for student nutrition in Canada? • Sharing compelling stories • Learning from existing research • Interviews with program coordinators (2013) • Snack programs for Aboriginal students (2013) • Policy implementation impact on school food environments (2013) • Household food insecurity in Canada (2013) • Food guide compliance among adolescents from economically disadvantaged families (2012) • Leveraging school nutrition policy • 6 provincial policies address access to food • Learning from student nutrition program models • Programs and organizations, e.g., Canadian Children and Youth Nutrition Program Network (http://feedtomorrow.ca/); Farm to Cafeteria Canada (http://www.farmtocafeteriacanada.ca/)

8. Stakeholders • What are the views of stakeholders re student nutrition programs and how might they be involved in ‘raising the bar’? • Students • Parents • School teaching personnel and administrators • School food providers (food service – paid/volunteer, food suppliers, and producers) • Funding government and non-governmental organizations and their funders • Health, food, agriculture, and other personnel • District, provincial, and territorial school and health personnel • Policy-makers, politicians, and public opinion champions

9. Accountability and Monitoring • To whom are student nutrition programs accountable and for what? • What data from program monitoring can assist with ‘raising the bar’? • Clear accountability • Sharing and applying results from monitoring • Numbers of students, funding, funders • Program models, organization, and delivery • Impact on food intake, behaviour, learning, families, communities, economics • Sustainability, challenges, and supports • Unintended consequences

10. Summary of Research Questions • What research offers the most compelling data to help Raise the Bar on Student Food Programs? • How does problem identification influence current and proposed actions and stakeholders? • If we had a better understanding of what is happening in student nutrition, would it enable us to make a more compelling case? • What research is needed to address alternative views? • What are components of effective and sustainable models for student nutrition in Canada? • What are the views of stakeholders re student nutrition programs and how might they be involved in ‘raising the bar’? • To whom are student nutrition programs accountable and for what? • What data from program monitoring can assist with ‘raising the bar’?

11. mmckenna@unb.ca506-451-6872