260974 Getting Junk Food Out of Schools without Breaking the Bank: Case Studies in Implementing Strong Competitive Food Standards

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 1:10 PM - 1:30 PM

Kendall Stagg, JD , Illinois Public Health Institute, Chicago
Jamie F. Chriqui, PhD, MHS , Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Elissa Bassler, MFA , Illinois Public Health Institute, Chicago, IL
Linda Schneider, MS , Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Caitlin Merlo, MPH, RD , Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Katherine Infusino, BA , DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Yuka Asada, MHSc RD LDN , School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Introduction: Since 2006-07, school districts nationwide are required to adopt nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold outside of the federal meal programs (i.e. competitive foods) as part of the congressionally-mandated school district wellness policy requirement (P.L. 108-265). However, districts and schools face the threat of lost profits by eliminating the sale of less healthful foods and beverages. This study identifies practices that enable districts and schools to maintain or increase profits following implementation of strong nutrition standards for competitive foods.

Methods: The Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI), University of Illinois at Chicago's Health Policy Center (HPC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) conducted case studies regarding the financial impact of implementing strong nutrition standards in schools. Using HPC's Bridging the Gap 2009-10 data, 25 districts were identified and screened to determine the financial impact of implementing strong standards for competitive foods. Telephone interviews were conducted with district superintendents, food service directors, school principals, and parents, resulting in 11 case studies.

Results: Three themes emerged in the preliminary findings demonstrating a variety of practices used to manage changes in revenue following implementation of strong nutrition standards: changing food and beverage product placement in the cafeteria, marketing healthier items, and modeling healthy eating behaviors in the school.

Discussion: These case studies provide evidence, lessons learned, and best practices for policy makers at the federal, state, local levels on how competitive food policies can support the obesity-reduction objectives while maintaining district/school revenue needs.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify practices that facilitate implementation of strong nutrition standards for competitive foods; 2. Describe three strategies and best practices that schools and districts can use to maintain profits following implementation of stronger nutrition standards for competitive foods; and 3. Discuss how to provide technical assistance to schools and districts implementing federal, state, and/or district level nutrition standards for competitive foods.

Keywords: Obesity, Food and Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have more than 10 years experience conducting health policy research and in health advocacy.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.