Universal School Meals May Improve Attendance and Reduce Obesity

Universal free school lunches could lead to fewer cases of obesity, improved attendance and fewer suspensions, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.

School lunches are becoming fodder for partisan politics with the selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — an ardent supporter of free school lunch programs — as Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 presidential election.

The Texas A&M-led study was based on reviews of six programs covering more than 11,000 schools.

The researchers found universal free school meals were associated with increased meal participation.

The review also found some evidence of a positive effect on attendance. The slight improvements in some schools appeared to be driven by students in food-insecure homes who would not otherwise qualify for free meals, the authors of the study said.

One study in the review found decreased obesity, pointing to evidence that more students, regardless of need, consume healthier foods from the free school meal program instead of bringing food from home or purchasing foods at school from the à la carte line or vending machines.

One study of Oregon schools found the number of suspensions dropped by 0.7 percentage points in schools where a community eligibility program — meaning an entire low-income district can qualify for free meals —  was instituted.

The review found varying degrees of reliability in the studies, with the authors noting the limitations of the currently available evidence, including a lack of representative sample sizes.

While there’s evidence to suggest that free meals for kids lead to positive outcomes, much more high quality research is needed, the authors wrote.

Article by Tina Reed, Axios

Illustration by Maura Losch/Axios