Validation of a conceptual model to identify leverage points in school meal systems

School meals are influenced by a complex set of factors, including regulation at the local, state, and federal levels, beliefs and training of personnel, cultural practices and preferences, and the local food environment. Disentangling this web of factors is a daunting process, but is a necessary one if we wish to identify points of leverage where positive changes may be possible. While a number of studies have examined the school food environment from a regulatory, systems-based perspective, few have looked at it from the viewpoint of the actual providers. We will present a conceptual model of the school meal system from the perspective of district and school personnel, grounded in theory and validated through a series of key informant interviews conducted with 39 district Food Service Directors. The model illustrates the impact that upstream factors (e.g., personnel, managerial decision making), the menu planning process (e.g., commodities, state and federal regulations), and food preparation techniques (e.g., available equipment, taste preferences) have upon the final meal that is offered to students. Implications for interventions to increase the healthfulness of school meals, consistent with the new nutritional guidelines for the USDA National School Lunch Program, will be presented.