Nutrition is one of the basic sciences that underlie a proper understanding of health and human sciences. The National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), which is of focus in this regard, is government’s project that responds to problems such as poor nutrition and hunger amongst learners. Originally this programme was designed to provide direct services to primary school learners, to reduce hunger and alleviate the effect of malnutrition on their learning capacity through improvements in the nutritious status of school children. The research on the assessment of the role of NSNP took place at Siyanda SPS in Butterworth. Siyanda SPS was selected because of its geographical location, as it was observed to be one of poverty stricken informal settlement. Key informants for data collection included interviews, direct-observation, content analysis and focus group discussions and photographs. The study provides best practice for implementation of the programme in Yako informal settlement, and encourages local economic development within community members. The study may also add consciousness on matters related to government intervention in human capital development projects, as well as benefiting communities, through initiatives such as employing local women as food preparers and using local food suppliers. The NSNP endow the community with nutritional education, empowering rural dwellers with awareness, and capability to grow their own food. Community members are also well-informed about the benefits of a healthy diet. The NSNP creates chances for learners from underprivileged communities to concentrate better in class, so that they get better results, which possibly will lead to better lifestyles in future.

Background: In 2012, more than one in three American youth were classified as overweight or obese. The cause of obesity is multifactorial. However, environmental influences and behavioral characteristics appear to have more impact on the development of obesity than genetics and/or cultural background. In response to an Institute of Medicine briefing detailing recommendations for changes to school meals, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 was passed to update nutrition guidelines for schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. This Act seeks to help reduce childhood obesity through the provision of nutritionally balanced school meals. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as part of its Strong4Life School Nutrition Program. School nutrition managers in a South Georgia school district participated in a dietitian-led training, inclusive of a pre- and post-training survey. Food production data including the number of servings of foods prepared and sold in elementary schools in the same school district were also collected during the weeks preceding the manager training and post training. Observations of the cafeteria organization were also recorded pre and post training. Frequency statistics were used to describe the pre- and post-survey and food production data. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare pre- and post-survey scores. Cafeteria organizational changes were compared for improvement pre- and post-training. Results: Of the 30 school nutrition managers who completed the pre- and post-surveys, 23 (77%) provided identifying information and were included in this analysis. The average pre- and post-survey scores were 4.9 and 5.8, respectively (18.4% increase). Twelve participants received a higher score after the training session, 10 had no change in score, and one participant’s score decreased following the training. The vast majority of managers (>90%) indicated that they would like to encourage changes in the cafeteria to promote healthy choices and that they felt confident in their abilities to provide guidance to cafeteria staff to make such changes. Manager perception of overweight and obesity in the state of Georgia being “very serious” or “somewhat serious” increased from 93% before the training to 100% following the training. Six of the 12 schools in which food production data was obtained showed improvement in the percentage of students who chose skim or 1% plain milk vs. flavored milk. Seven schools showed an improvement in the percentage of fruit sold between March and October, four showed an improvement in vegetables sold. Conclusions: School nutrition managers showed increased nutrition knowledge and belief in their individual ability to act as a role model in the school cafeteria after completing a dietitian-led training session. No association was found between increased nutrition knowledge of managers and changes in student food purchasing habits. Future iterations of this training program should include collection of the name of the school(s) in which the manager presides to determine association between increased nutrition knowledge and/or changed perception of role in promoting healthy habits and changes in student purchasing habits.

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Childhood obesity in America is reaching epidemic proportions. This study explored whether daily online lunch menu information was sufficient to enable parents to advise their children about healthy and unhealthy menu choices in 350 Texas middle schools and whether online menu information strongly correlated with the descriptions of the offerings given by 52 school cafeteria managers in telephone interviews. Although schools are making efforts to describe their offerings, they are not vigorously taking advantage of the opportunity to aggressively inform or educate. They are not coding their descriptions in such a way as to explicitly brand food as healthy or unhealthy. They are also not labeling food as generally required by law for consumer services that provide food (except for the fresh produce that lines supermarket shelves). Instead, they only briefly describe what they are serving in the way of fruit in one or two word snippets. Finally, cafeteria managers’ online descriptions were inconsistent with what they described in interviews. Online and verbal descriptions were sometimes contradictory, raising questions about the accuracy of either type of description.

After the introduction of the Ontario School Food and Beverage Policy (PPM150), Healthy Schools 2020 was initiated to facilitate the policy’s implementation in the Champlain region. Few studies have evaluated teachers’ awareness of school nutrition policies. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers’ awareness of the current activities in their school nutrition environment. A cross-sectional online survey was sent to elementary school teachers in the Ottawa and Renfrew school boards. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the frequency of nutrition-related activities at schools. Pearson chi-square was used to test for associations between awareness of policies and school food practices, and the presence of nutrition committees and changes to catered lunches and fundraising activities. A total of 243 elementary school teachers completed the survey. Most teachers (83%) were aware of the PPM150 and 25% were aware of the Healthy Schools 2020 initiative. Those who were aware of the PPM150 were more likely to attend school meetings, work at a school where the policy was posted, learned about the policy through the school website, and heard about the policy during professional development days (p<0.05). There was no difference between being aware of the PPM150 or Healthy Schools 2020 with the use of food as a reward. Furthermore, the presence of a school nutrition committee was not associated with any changes to catered lunches and was significantly associated with using food for fundraising (p<0.001). The results indicate that awareness of the PPM150 and the presence of a school nutrition committee did not result in changes in the school nutrition environment. There is a need for more communication about nutrition policies to school members, collaboration between partnerships and services, and training for teachers to improve school-based programs in the Champlain region.

Master of Science / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Kevin L. Sauer / The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) seeks to provide nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to more than 31 million children daily. With the recent increase in childhood obesity, school nutrition programs must follow strict nutrient guidelines in meal preparation. As nutrient requirements have changed, participation in the NSLP has also decreased, especially among older students. To recover lost revenue, many schools offer al a carte items or other snack items often characterized as high in calories, fat, and carbohydrates. The NSLP provides meals with a balance of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat and fat-free milk. Some research suggests that unintentional stereotypes or social stigmas exist about the NSLP program among participants. Al a carte and vending machine food options have influenced these stereotypes and in some cases have deterred students from participating in the NSLP. Research about stigma association with the NSLP is scarce and not current. This study investigated if social stigmas exist about the NSLP and their influence on student participation. Middle school students in Kansas comprised the population for this study. A survey instrument was drafted using themes identified from existing research. In addition to demographic variables, the survey contained statements that examined factors that motivate and de-motivate students from participating in the NSLP, and statements about social stigmas and peer influence. A panel of child nutrition program experts and a pilot study with middle school students were used to refine and validate the survey. The survey was distributed to middle school students in thirteen Family and Consumer Science classes in Kansas. A total of 559 students responded to the survey for a response rate of 48%. This study found that few of the motivator statements correlated with participation in the NSLP. However, preference for snack foods was identified as the largest deterrent in respondent participation. Few new social stigmas were identified, but significant variations were found when examining variations between some demographic variables. Respondents who were female, older in age and grade level, frequently ate school lunch, and attended large schools with a high number of students receiving lunch at a free and/or reduced price were more aware of social stigmas and more greatly impacted by the actions of their peers. In contrast, qualitative data showed that some respondents are greatly influenced by peers and the fear of stigmatization.

Undernutrition is a major public health problem, contributing to 33% of deaths in infants and young children globally. In Kygryzstan, Central Asia, Mercy Corps provided 6 metric tons of rice, flour and oil as well as nutrition education to kindergartens in 40 rural regions, serving 41,000 children, for one year. Anthropometric measurements were collected at the beginning and end of the program (10 months later). Children, who were stunted, wasted and underweight at baseline, recovered by follow-up, with rates of recovery of 50%, 65% and 50%, respectively. The prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight in the population decreased from 13.8%, 3.4% and 3.2%, respectively, to 8.6%, 2.1% and 2.3%, respectively. These results are particularly significant as the dearth of research on pre-school feeding’s impact on growth and nutrition has led to this particular intervention being deemed ineffective for improvement of nutritional outcome.

Canadian scientific literature lacks quantitative information on school meals, which, in Can-ada, are not regulated by law and do not have any national nutritional standard. Nutritional stan-dards and guidelines are essential in evaluation and monitoring studies to maintainor im-proveschool meals quality. This research looked at the nutritional quality of meals served by some elementary schools running a school meal program administered by CHEP Good Food Inc., a non-profit organization, in Saskatoon, SK. Data collected from 1997 until 2006 were combined to those collected in the 2007/08 school-year. Lunches were compared to 1/3 Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI), and breakfasts and snacks, to ¼ DRI. Using one-sample t-tests and ANOVA, p< 0.05, we evaluated nutrients that were suggested to be below the standard. Sas-katchewans food-based standards were also used to evaluate food group content according to the Canadas Food Guide to Healthy Eating. On-site observations in selected schools shed light on childrens choices and plate waste. Focus groups with selected nutrition coordinators (NC) provided insight into their practices. Overall, lunches and breakfasts had a good nutrient profile but were low mainly in energy, vitamin E, potassium, and, in some years, folate and calcium, particularly for 9-13 year-olds. Findings suggested that snacks seem to be below the DRI stan-dards, but they can be an opportunity for nutrition education. We observed no clear or significant trend across the years. All meals offered good amounts of fruits and vegetables, grains, and dairy products. Plate waste was low and related to NCs practices. Analysis of the interviews exposed some possible explanations for the quantitative results and allowed some recommendations. Findings from this study provide support for future establishment of school meals nutritional standards and for possible changes and improvements of the program, and will enrich knowledge regarding school meals.

Canadian scientific literature lacks quantitative information on school meals, which, in Can-ada, are not regulated by law and do not have any national nutritional standard. Nutritional stan-dards and guidelines are essential in evaluation and monitoring studies to maintainor im-proveschool meals quality. This research looked at the nutritional quality of meals served by some elementary schools running a school meal program administered by CHEP Good Food Inc., a non-profit organization, in Saskatoon, SK. Data collected from 1997 until 2006 were combined to those collected in the 2007/08 school-year. Lunches were compared to 1/3 Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI), and breakfasts and snacks, to ¼ DRI. Using one-sample t-tests and ANOVA, p< 0.05, we evaluated nutrients that were suggested to be below the standard. Sas-katchewans food-based standards were also used to evaluate food group content according to the Canadas Food Guide to Healthy Eating. On-site observations in selected schools shed light on childrens choices and plate waste. Focus groups with selected nutrition coordinators (NC) provided insight into their practices. Overall, lunches and breakfasts had a good nutrient profile but were low mainly in energy, vitamin E, potassium, and, in some years, folate and calcium, particularly for 9-13 year-olds. Findings suggested that snacks seem to be below the DRI stan-dards, but they can be an opportunity for nutrition education. We observed no clear or significant trend across the years. All meals offered good amounts of fruits and vegetables, grains, and dairy products. Plate waste was low and related to NCs practices. Analysis of the interviews exposed some possible explanations for the quantitative results and allowed some recommendations. Findings from this study provide support for future establishment of school meals nutritional standards and for possible changes and improvements of the program, and will enrich knowledge regarding school meals.

Purpose: To evaluate implementation and impact of school nutrition policy (SNP) using a qualitative case study approach. Sample/Setting: participants (n=79) from two elementary schools and one secondary school within one school division in Winnipeg, Manitoba consented to participate. Methods: Perceptions of teachers, parents, administrators, students, custodians, education assistants, and food service operators were explored using observations, interviews and focus groups. Results: Implementation and impact varied between schools. Common barriers include: negative attitudes, inadequate school and community resources and ineffective communication. Major impacts include changes to; food sales and nutrition awareness. Conclusions: Impacts of the SNP have been noted however, barriers need to be addressed to provide schools the best opportunity for success. Each key informants group provided useful insights into implementation and impact of SNP. Implications: This study demonstrates the importance of considering multiple perspectives when evaluating SNP. Results will be useful to policy makers to inform future SNP efforts.