BACKGROUND The changes in school meal programs stemming from the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 have expanded interest in strategies that increase student participation in school lunch and reduce plate waste. However, it remains unclear what factors are associated with schools' use of such strategies. OBJECTIVE This study examines whether state laws are associated with two types of school meal-related practices: (a) using promotional strategies (ie, taste tests, using posters or announcements) and (b) duration of lunch periods. DESIGN This cross-sectional study utilized the nationally representative 2014 School Health Policies and Practices Study, combined with corresponding state laws gathered by the National Wellness Policy Study. School data were available from 414 public schools in 43 states. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Outcome measures included 16 strategies to promote school meals and the amount of time students had to eat lunch after being seated. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED Multivariate logistic regression and Poisson regression were used to examine associations between state laws and school practices, after accounting for school demographic characteristics. RESULTS Compared to schools in states with no law about engaging stakeholders in meal programs, schools in states with a law were more likely to conduct taste tests (64% vs 44%, P=0.016), collect suggestions from students (67% vs 50%, P=0.017), and invite family members to a school meal (71% vs 53%, P=0.015). Schools used more promotion strategies in states with a law than in states without a law (mean=10.4 vs 8.8, P=0.003). Schools were more likely to provide students at least 30 minutes to eat lunch after being seated in states with laws that addressed a minimum amount of time for lunch duration (43% vs 27%, P=0.042). CONCLUSIONS State-level policy provisions are associated with school practices. Policy development in more states may support school practices that promote lunch participation and consumption.

中文翻译：

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州法律与学校午餐持续时间和促销实践相关


背景 2010 年《健康、无饥饿儿童法案》对学校膳食计划的改变引起了人们对增加学生参与学校午餐和减少盘子浪费的策略的兴趣。然而，目前尚不清楚哪些因素与学校使用此类策略相关。目的 本研究探讨州法律是否与两种类型的学校供餐相关做法相关：(a) 使用促销策略（即口味测试、使用海报或公告）和 (b) 午餐时间的持续时间。设计 这项横断面研究利用了具有全国代表性的 2014 年学校健康政策和实践研究，并结合了国家健康政策研究收集的相应州法律。学校数据来自 43 个州的 414 所公立学校。主要成果指标 成果指标包括 16 项促进学校供餐的策略以及学生就座后必须吃午餐的时间。进行的统计分析 在考虑了学校的人口统计特征后，使用多元逻辑回归和泊松回归来检查州法律与学校实践之间的关联。结果 与没有关于让利益相关者参与膳食计划的法律的州的学校相比，有法律的州的学校更有可能进行口味测试（64% vs 44%，P=0.016），收集学生的建议（67% vs 50 %，P=0.017），并邀请家人参加学校餐（71% vs 53%，P=0.015）。与没有法律的州相比，有法律的州学校使用更多的促销策略（平均值=10.4 vs 8.8，P=0.003）。 在法律规定午餐时间最短时间的州，学校更有可能为学生提供至少 30 分钟的午餐时间（43% vs 27%，P=0.042）。结论 州级政策规定与学校实践相关。更多州的政策制定可能会支持学校促进午餐参与和消费的做法。