According to a recent study, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, a federal law that enhanced nutrition standards for school meals, may have contributed to slowing down the increase in obesity rates among American children, including adolescents who are able to purchase their own snacks. The research, which tracked the heights and weights of over 14,000 students aged 5 to 18 before and after the law’s implementation, discovered a small yet meaningful decrease in their average body mass index.
Improving school meals can reduce childhood obesity
Improving the quality of school meals through legislation could potentially help reduce childhood obesity in the United States, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics. This issue currently affects approximately 20% of children in the US.
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which increased the number of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains required in school meals, was the first national legislation to improve school meals in over two decades and was supported by former first lady Michelle Obama. Roughly 30 million American children receive school lunches each day.
The latest study analyzed nationwide data from 50 cohorts of schoolchildren and found a decrease in children’s body-mass index after the implementation of a law. The study covered the period before and after the full implementation of the law and found a decrease of 0.041 units per year in the body-mass index for children, adjusted for age and gender. Additionally, there was a slight decline in overweight or obese children. The reduction would be equivalent to losing 1 pound for a 10-year-old boy with a high body-mass index.
Preventing weight gain during development prevents obesity
Social epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and study leader Dr. Aruna Chandran said that the preservation of BMI over time can have crucial implications. She added that preventing children from gaining weight during growth stages can help manage obesity.
Past research has revealed the effects of the national policy on weight in underprivileged kids. However, this recent investigation is the first to document reduced BMI in children from all income levels.
