Research on School Nutrition Policies and Programs

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