February 13, 2023 – The body mass index of college children fell after the Health, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 improved nutrition standards for college breakfasts, lunches and snacks, a brand new study finds.
The researchers tracked the peak and weight of 14,121 children ages 5 to 18 from January 2005 to March 2020, in response to the study. JAMA Pediatrics. BMI measures how healthy your weight relies in your height.
The study found that BMI decreased by 0.041 units per 12 months in comparison with before the Health, Hunger-Free Kids Act was enacted.
Lauren Fiechtner, MD, director of nutrition at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston, explained the importance of the finding in an editorial accompanying the study: The Associated Press said. She said the decline could be comparable to a 1 pound weight reduction for a 10-year-old boy with an elevated BMI.
Current data show that about one in five children within the United States is classed as obese. The study concluded: “The results suggest that school lunch programs represent an important opportunity for interventions to combat the childhood obesity epidemic, given the high program participation rates and the proportion of total calories consumed through school meals.”
Michelle Obama was a driving force behind the Health, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which increased the required amount of fruits, vegetables and whole grains in class lunches.
Earlier this month, the US Department of Agriculture proposed new guidelines for college breakfasts and lunches, where the quantity of sodium and sugar served could be reduced.
While previous studies have shown how the Health, Hunger-Free Kids Act has affected the burden of kids from low-income families, the study published in JAMA Pediatrics is the primary to point out that BMI decreases across all income levels, in response to The Associated Press.