Today, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Healthy Eating Research program released the results of a rapid Health Impact Assessment (HIA)<https://cspinet.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=56c53970e9e8f3069990102a6&id=dd32b98ab4&e=638b51d85a> they conducted in response to USDA's proposed rollback rule that would allow schools to serve less fruit, fewer whole grains, fewer varieties of vegetables, and more starchy vegetables. USDA did not estimate the public health or equity impacts of these proposed changes. The importance of healthy school meals has taken on new urgency during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. With more than 72,000 school closures in the U.S. affecting at least 37 million children, ensuring students continue to have access to healthy school meals is more critical than ever.

The HIA found that the proposed changes would adversely affect student's health and academic performance, and that students from low-income families attending schools that are majority black or hispanic and in rural neighborhoods are most likely to be impacted by the proposed changes.

The HIA recommends USDA consider maintaining strong nutrition standards and supporting schools via enhanced training, technical assistance, and investments in school kitchen equipment and infrastructure. Weakening school nutrition standards would be the wrong move at any time, but to pursue these changes during a moment like this--when healthy meals at school and at home are at a premium for millions of children and families--is especially problematic.

We urge you to incorporate this HIA into your comment and your ongoing work to counter the school meal rollbacks. In light of this new HIA and the coronavirus outbreak, please see our updated model comment<https://cspinet.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=56c53970e9e8f3069990102a6&id=e4ec9f18f1&e=638b51d85a> (comments are now due April 22).

Also, consider Tweeting to share the report:

  *   Coronavirus makes it more urgent that students have healthy school meals. New @HEResearch study finds @USDA proposed changes would adversely effect children’s health and academic performance, low-income families hurt the most: https://healthyeatingresearch.org/research/rapid-health-impact-assessment-on-usda-proposed-changes-to-school-nutrition-standards/<https://cspinet.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=56c53970e9e8f3069990102a6&id=a084658996&e=638b51d85a> #protectschoolmeals

Additional background

What are the additional topline findings from the HIA?

  *   Overall, the available research indicates that strong nutrition standards make school meals healthier, increase participation in the school meal programs, increase food security, and help students learn better in class, while having no negative financial effect on schools.
  *   There is strong evidence showing that consumption of foods and beverages at school is an important contributor to kids’ daily nutrition and that the proposed changes are likely to reduce the total diet quality of students consuming school foods.
  *   There is strong evidence showing that nutrition standards improve the nutritional quality of school meals, increase student participation in school meal programs, and improve students’ diet quality.
  *   There is strong evidence showing that participation in school meal programs increases food security among children.
  *   There is moderate evidence showing that nutrition standards and consumption of healthful school meals is associated with more positive weight outcomes, such as decreased body mass index (BMI).
  *   There is moderate evidence showing an association between nutrition standards and improved dietary quality with improved academic performance and cognitive function. In turn, there is strong evidence showing a relationship between educational attainment and health over a lifetime, with better educated individuals living longer and having lower risks for chronic diseases.

What is a Health Impact Assessment (HIA)?

A Health Impact Assessment is a research tool that can help decision-makers understand the possible health impacts, and in some cases financial considerations, of policy proposals before they take effect. HIAs are not intended to make definitive predictions about how a policy proposal will affect health and well-being; rather, they review the best available evidence to say what is most likely to occur.

This HIA reviewed existing research on school nutrition and health, especially as related to USDA’s proposed policy changes, and used the evidence to predict how the changes are likely to impact the health and well-being of students, as well as their academic performance.

What did Healthy Eating Research review for this HIA?

A research team from Healthy Eating Research--alongside a national advisory committee consisting of individuals with expertise in school nutrition policy and research--examined 16 systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or reviews, and over 60 original articles published over the past eight years, to conduct this HIA.

Thank you,

Colin

Colin Schwartz
Center for Science in the Public Interest

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