2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

318616
Evaluation of the Community Eligibility Provision in low-income elementary schools


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 5:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Soyang Kwon, PhD, Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Maryann Mason, PhD, Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Sarah B. Welch, MPH, Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Aims:The aims of this evaluation were to compare elementary students’ participation rates in school meal programs before and after the implementation of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) policy and to evaluate student consumption of fruits, vegetables, and milk offered through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

Methods: The evaluation was conducted in six suburban Chicago public elementary schools that adopted the CEP beginning school year (SY) 2012-2013. Monthly meal count data for SY 2011-2012 (pre-CEP) and SY 2012-2013 (post-CEP) were collected to calculate students' participation rates in school meal programs. In SY 2012-2013, 1,160 student lunch trays were collected during 24 lunch sessions (four sessions per school) to estimate student food consumption using a plate wast method.

Results:After CEP implementation, school breakfast program participation rate increased 28% (95% CI=23, 34) from 39% at pre-CEP to 67% at post-CEP. NSLP participation rate increased 7% (95% CI=5, 9) from 77% to 84%. Students were estimated to consume 35% of fruits, 18% of vegetables, and 46% of milk offered through NSLP.

Conclusions and Implications:Although a national rollout of the CEP in SY 2014-2015 is expected to increase students’ participation in school meal programs, the low consumption of healthy menu could continue to be a concern.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Describe the Community Eligibility Provision policy Evaluate the impact of the Community Eligibility Provision on student participation in school meal programs

Keyword(s): Nutrition, School-Based Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have a PhD in Epidemiology. I have been the principal investigator of NIH grants focusing on healthy eating and active living among youth. My scientific interest is childhood obesity prevention.
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.

Back to: 4418.0: School Policies and Practices to Support Healthy Food Access, Availability and Consumption