School Breakfast Policy Initiative Study

Policy makers have promoted school breakfast participation as a tool to help prevent childhood obesity. No randomized controlled trials have examined the effects of a school breakfast feeding program on obesity. We propose to develop and evaluate a School Breakfast Policy Initiative (SBPI) that combines classroom feeding, in-school nutrition education, social marketing and parent outreach. Specifically, we will promote the benefits of a healthy breakfast at school or home and deter buying "breakfast" at corner stores where purchases are high in energy, solid fats and added sugars. This intervention will be evaluated in the "real world" of urban schools that make frequent use of the SNAP-Ed and the School Breakfast Program. The specific aims are: 1. To develop the SBPI intervention within the context of SNAP Ed and the National School Breakfast Program in the School District of Philadelphia. 2. To conduct a pilot feasibility study among 4 schools (2 intervention and 2 control) to assess feasibility and acceptability. 3. To compare participants in the intervention (n=8) and comparison schools (n=8) on the incidence of overweight and obesity. We predict that intervention schools, compared to the comparison schools, will have a significantly lower incidence rate of overweight and obesity over a 2 y period. 4. To compare participants in the intervention (n=8) and comparison schools (n=8) on eating one breakfast. We predict that intervention schools, compared to the comparison schools, will have significantly greater percentage of children eating one breakfast per day over a 2 y period.