Comparison of School Food Policies and Food Preparation Practices before and after the Local wellness Policy among Indiana High Schools - Research findings and implications

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda

Federal legislation requires local education agencies or school districts to develop a local wellness policy, yet limited prospective data exist on its effects in secondary schools. In Indiana, 226 food-serving high schools were surveyed in 2006, with 150 completing follow-up in 2007. After implementation, schools significantly reduced offerings of chocolate candy, non-low-fat cookies/crackers, soda pop, and non-low-fat salty snacks, while junk-food prohibitions increased. Improvements in fruit, vegetable salads, or 100% fruit juice were not significant, and food-preparation practices changed little.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Purpose

Methods

Results

Discussion

Translation to Health Education Practice

Background

Adolescent overweight and obesity risks

Schools as intervention settings

Federal wellness policy requirements

Research Article Comparison of School Food Policies and Food Preparation Practices before and after the Local wellness Policy among Indiana High Schools Dong-Chul Seo ABSTRACT Background: Federal legislation requires local education agencies or school districts to develop a local wellness policy. No data-based research using a prospective cohort of a representative sample of secondary schools has been conducted to investigate the impact of the local wellness policy. Purpose: To investigate changes in school food policies and food preparation practices before and after the local wellness policy was implemented in Indiana high schools. Methods: The principal or food service director of 226 food-serving Indiana high schools participated in a survey in February-March 2006. Of the 226 schools, 150 participated in the follow-up survey in April-May 2007 (response rate: 66%). Results: The proportion of schools was significantly reduced that offered chocolate candy (63% to 39%), non-low-fat cookies or crackers (79% to 53%), soda pop (83% to 63%), and non-low-fat salty snacks (72% to 43%). The proportion of schools that prohibited junk foods from being offered significantly increased (29% to 68%). However, no significant increase was observed in the proportion of schools that offered fruit (75% to 76%), vegetable salads (71% to 75%), or 100% fruit juice (83% to 84%). Also, little significant improvement was observed in food preparation practices. Discussion: Additional improvement should be made in food preparation practices and providing more healthy foods. Translation to Health Education Practice: More schools should offer students fruits, vegetables, and 100% fruit juice and make an effort to improve food preparation practices as little improvement was observed in these areas after the local wellness policy was developed. Positive effects of local wellness policies are limited. School health educators and professionals need to advocate the adoption of a minimum federal standard for the school wellness policy rather than allowing each LEA or school district to develop its own wellness policy. Seo D-C. Comparison of school food policies and food preparation practices before and after the local wellness policy among Indiana high schools. Am J Health Educ. 2009;40(3):165-173. This paper was submitted to the Journal on July 10, 2008, revised and accepted for publication on October 3, 2008. BACKGROUND Adolescents in the United States are increasingly becoming more overweight. The prevalence of overweight, defined asa body Mass Index (bMI) at or above the 95th percentile on age-and gender-specific growth charts developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has tripled among adolescents aged 12-19 years in the last two decades 1-4 and thereis no evidence that this trend has come to an end.2 The recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys show that the prevalence of overweight among adolescents continued to increase significantly between 1999-2000 and 2003-2004.1 This causes a serious concern because overweight adolescents are at an increased risk of various physical, mental, and emotional health problems, including impaired glucose tolerance,5,6 insulin resistance,7 atherosclerosis,8 coronary heart disease in adulthood,9-11 development of eating disorders,12,13 and low self-esteem.14 Schools are a rational setting where interventions can be implemented to help deter this epidemic of adolescent obesity as students spend substantial time in schools. Dong-Chul Seo is an assistant professor in the Department of Applied Health Science atIndiana University, HPER 116, Bloomington, IN 47405-4801; E-mail: [seo@indiana.edu](seo@indiana.edu). Dong-Chul Seo Availability and accessibility of a range of healthful or unhealthful food options can be affected by school policy. The fact that the consumption of sweetened beverages and high-fat foods is a contributor to adolescent obesity3 and that the

FAQs

What was the study’s main purpose in Indiana high schools?

To examine changes in school food policies and food preparation practices before and after Indiana high schools implemented the local wellness policy.

How was the data collected for this research?

The principal or food service director of 226 Indiana high schools completed a survey in February–March 2006, and 150 schools participated again in April–May 2007.

What food-related changes occurred after the local wellness policy?

Offerings of chocolate candy, non-low-fat cookies or crackers, soda pop, and non-low-fat salty snacks decreased significantly, and prohibitions on junk foods increased. Fruit, vegetable salads, and 100% fruit juice showed no significant improvement.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda