What Do Parents Think About School Meals? An Exploratory Study of Rural Middle School Parents’ Perceptions

Cristian L. Meier; Patrick Brady; Natoshia Askelson; Grace Ryan; Patti Delger; Carrie Scheidel

doi:10.1177/1059840520924718

What Do Parents Think About School Meals? An Exploratory Study of Rural Middle School Parents’ Perceptions

Cristian L. Meier
, Patrick Brady
, Natoshia Askelson
, Grace Ryan
, Patti Delger
, Carrie Scheidel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

Interventions targeting school meals have been used to combat obesity in rural youth. Parents play a powerful role in childhood nutrition; however, we know little about parents’ perceptions of school meal programs. This study aimed to understand parents’ perceptions of school meal programs. Surveys were administered to middle school parents (n = 576) at six schools in a rural state. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to measure parents’ overall perceptions of the school meals program and to identify differences in perceptions by their children’s participation in the Free and Reduced Price School Meals (F&RM) program. Parents had largely negative views of school meals but agreed that they met students’ needs. Results of the multivariate analysis revealed differences in perceptions by participation in F&RM including the relative importance of meal components. Including parents in meal-related experiences and decision making could improve their perceptions and increase children’s participation in school lunch programs.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	226-232
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of School Nursing
Volume	38
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840520924718
State	Accepted/In press - 2020
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article: This study was funded by Food and Nutrition Service (Grant No. CFDA 10.574).

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 4 Quality Education

Keywords

food service staff
middle school
national school lunch program
nutrition
school nurse

Publisher link

10.1177/1059840520924718

Cite this

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title = "What Do Parents Think About School Meals? An Exploratory Study of Rural Middle School Parents{\textquoteright} Perceptions",

abstract = "Interventions targeting school meals have been used to combat obesity in rural youth. Parents play a powerful role in childhood nutrition; however, we know little about parents{\textquoteright} perceptions of school meal programs. This study aimed to understand parents{\textquoteright} perceptions of school meal programs. Surveys were administered to middle school parents (n = 576) at six schools in a rural state. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to measure parents{\textquoteright} overall perceptions of the school meals program and to identify differences in perceptions by their children{\textquoteright}s participation in the Free and Reduced Price School Meals (F\&RM) program. Parents had largely negative views of school meals but agreed that they met students{\textquoteright} needs. Results of the multivariate analysis revealed differences in perceptions by participation in F\&RM including the relative importance of meal components. Including parents in meal-related experiences and decision making could improve their perceptions and increase children{\textquoteright}s participation in school lunch programs.",

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note = "Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article: This study was funded by Food and Nutrition Service (Grant No. CFDA 10.574). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2020.",

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AU - Askelson, Natoshia

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AU - Delger, Patti

AU - Scheidel, Carrie

N1 - Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article: This study was funded by Food and Nutrition Service (Grant No. CFDA 10.574). Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2020.

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N2 - Interventions targeting school meals have been used to combat obesity in rural youth. Parents play a powerful role in childhood nutrition; however, we know little about parents’ perceptions of school meal programs. This study aimed to understand parents’ perceptions of school meal programs. Surveys were administered to middle school parents (n = 576) at six schools in a rural state. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to measure parents’ overall perceptions of the school meals program and to identify differences in perceptions by their children’s participation in the Free and Reduced Price School Meals (F&RM) program. Parents had largely negative views of school meals but agreed that they met students’ needs. Results of the multivariate analysis revealed differences in perceptions by participation in F&RM including the relative importance of meal components. Including parents in meal-related experiences and decision making could improve their perceptions and increase children’s participation in school lunch programs.

AB - Interventions targeting school meals have been used to combat obesity in rural youth. Parents play a powerful role in childhood nutrition; however, we know little about parents’ perceptions of school meal programs. This study aimed to understand parents’ perceptions of school meal programs. Surveys were administered to middle school parents (n = 576) at six schools in a rural state. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to measure parents’ overall perceptions of the school meals program and to identify differences in perceptions by their children’s participation in the Free and Reduced Price School Meals (F&RM) program. Parents had largely negative views of school meals but agreed that they met students’ needs. Results of the multivariate analysis revealed differences in perceptions by participation in F&RM including the relative importance of meal components. Including parents in meal-related experiences and decision making could improve their perceptions and increase children’s participation in school lunch programs.

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What Do Parents Think About School Meals? An Exploratory Study of Rural Middle School Parents’ Perceptions

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

Publisher link

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