The school environment is recognized as having a powerful influence on students' eating behaviors. Schools today offer a variety of foods and eating options, many of which do not foster the development of healthful dietary practices. To date, the primary approaches to achieving nutritional health for youth have been classroom-based educational efforts and government regulated nutrition programs. As part of the Teens Eating for Energy and Nutrition at School (TEENS) study, a group-randomized trial in 16 middle schools, a school environment component was included as an integral part of a multi-channel school-based dietary intervention targeting young adolescents and was designed to influence the availability of more healthy food and beverage options at school. Two approaches were used. Intervention specialists worked directly with school food service staff to increase availability of fruits, vegetables and lower fat foods. On a school-wide level, school nutrition advisory councils (SNACs) were established to advance practices that promote and support a healthy school food environment. Final outcomes related to environmental measures, including fruits and vegetables served on the meal pattern lunch, proportion of more healthful to less healthful foods offered and sold on a la carte and beverages and snacks available in vending machines, will be presented. Actions taken by SNACs to positively impact the school food environment will be described. Results from the TEENS Teacher Survey will also be reviewed. Almost 500 middle school teachers completed the survey, which addressed classroom food practices and teachers' beliefs and attitudes about the school food environment.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to: (1) Describe the two intervention channels used to influence the availability of healthful food and beverage options in middle schools; (2) Summarize main outcomes related to environmental measures of a multi-component school-based nutrition intervention study; (3) Describe three ways that School Nutrition Advisory Councils can act to promote and support a healthy school food environment.
Keywords: Nutrition, School-Based Programs
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