Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #115289

Sarah Stone-Francisco, MPH¹, Lisa Craypo, MPH¹, Maria Boyle, MS, RD¹, Miriam Walter¹, and Sarah Samuels, Dr PH². (1) Samuels & Associates, 663 13th Street, 3rd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612, 510-271-6799, stone@samuelsandassociates.com, (2) Samuels and Asociates, 663 13th Street, Oakland, CA 94612

SIGNIFICANCE: Many states and school districts have enacted nutrition policies to improve the quality of foods sold in schools. Translating research-based evidence into nutrition policy has resulted in detailed and often complex policies, making monitoring compliance difficult. METHODOLOGY: In an independent evaluation of school nutrition policies, an extensive database cataloguing the wide variety of a la carte foods sold in elementary through high schools was developed. Nutrient profiles for individual foods were developed including nutrient information relevant to the majority of school-based policies: serving and package size, calories, fat, saturated fat, and sugar. Nutrient information was obtained from packages, nutrient databanks, and calls to food and beverage manufacturers. RESULTS: More than half of all foods being sold did not adhere to nutrition standards. The majority of trail mix, frozen desserts, cookies, chips, cakes & pastries, fried vegetables, and candy, did not adhere, while all baked chips, seeds & nuts, and most fruit, vegetables & side salads did. The inconsistent availability of nutrient information and snack manufacturers' responses to researchers' requests has implications for schools' ability to monitor compliance with policies. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence-based policies require tools for monitoring compliance, and this database tool can be used in developing, implementing and monitoring compliance with school nutrition policies. The tool can tailor analyses to local and state standards, is a comprehensive database of foods sold a la carte in schools, is a useful tool in evaluating school nutrition policy compliance, and could be helpful with guiding schools in creating a healthier school environment.

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