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- Definition: Percentage of public school staff reporting the extent to which they believe their public school provides students with healthy food choices (e.g., in 2011-2013, 12.5% of high school staff at California public schools strongly agreed that their school provides students with healthy food choices).
- Data Source: California Department of Education, California School Climate Survey (WestEd).
- Footnote: The 2011-2013 time period reflects data from school years 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. Proportions are unweighted. The grade levels included in school district data depend on the grades offered in each district; for example, high school districts do not include 7th grade data. "Non-Traditional" schools include Community Day Schools or schools offering Continuation Education; according to Ed-Data, these schools make up about 10% of all public schools in California. N/A indicates that the survey was not administered in that period or that data are not available for that group. LNE (Low Number Event) indicates that for a specific answer there were fewer than 5 respondents. N/R indicates that the sample is too small to be representative.
Learn More About Nutrition
- Measures of Nutrition on Kidsdata.org
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Kidsdata.org offers the following nutrition-related indicators:
- Children ages 2-17 who drink one or more sodas or other sugar-sweetened beverages per day, by county; at the state level, these data also are available by age group and age group and race/ethnicity (1, 2)
- Children ages 2-17 who ate fast food two or more times in the past week, by age group (2)
- Children ages 2-17 who eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, by age group (2)
- Student reports of whether they ate breakfast in the past day, by grade level, gender and grade level, level of connectedness to school, and race/ethnicity (3)
- Staff reports on the extent to which they believe their school provides students with healthy food choices (4)
Notes:- 2005-2007 and 2011-2012 estimates of children drinking one or more sodas or other sugar-sweetened beverages come from a California Center for Public Health Advocacy analysis of California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) data. For more information, visit: http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/search/pages/detail.aspx?PubID=1228.
- 2013-2014 estimates of children drinking one or more sodas or other sugar-sweetened beverages, all estimates of children who ate fast food two or more times in the past week, and all estimates of children who eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily come from CHIS. For more information and local data, visit: http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/chis.
- Student reports of whether they ate breakfast come from the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) and California Student Survey (CSS). For more information and to access school district, county, and state reports, visit: http://chks.wested.org/reports/search.
- Staff reports on the availability of healthy food choices come from the California School Climate Survey (CSCS). For more information and to access school district, county, and state reports, visit: http://cscs.wested.org/reports/search.
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- Nutrition
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- Children Drinking One or More Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Per Day
- Children Who Ate Fast Food Two or More Times in the Past Week, by Age Group
- Children Who Eat Five or More Servings of Fruits and Vegetables Daily, by Age Group
- Students Who Ate Breakfast in the Past Day (Student Reported), by Grade Level
- Healthy Food Choices Provided at School (Staff Reported)
- Food Security
- Physical Fitness
- Weight
- Why This Topic Is Important
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Proper nutrition in childhood and adolescence promotes healthy growth and development (1). A nutritious diet over the life course can help prevent high cholesterol and high blood pressure and can help reduce the risk of developing conditions such as osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and dental cavities (1).
Eating breakfast can promote proper nutrition. Children who eat breakfast have higher daily intakes of key vitamins and minerals and tend to make healthier food choices throughout the day (2). In addition, eating a nutritious breakfast is associated with improved cognitive functioning, mood, and school attendance (1, 2).
Conversely, a poor diet can have long-term, negative health consequences (1). For example, consumption of fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with higher risk of becoming overweight and obese (1, 3).For more information on nutrition, see kidsdata.org’s Research & Links section.
Sources for this narrative:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Childhood nutrition facts. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/facts.htm
2. BreakfastFirst. (2013). The benefits of breakfast: Health and academics. California Food Policy Advocates. Retrieved from: http://breakfastfirst.org/benefits-of-breakfast-health-and-academics
3. Babey, S. H., et al. (2013). Still bubbling over: California adolescents drinking more soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research & California Center for Public Health Advocacy. Retrieved from: http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/search/pages/detail.aspx?PubID=1228 - How Children Are Faring
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In 2011-13, 62% of California public school students in grades 7, 9, 11, and non-traditional programs reported that they had eaten breakfast in the past day. Responses differed by grade, race/ethnicity, and gender. Specifically, 66% of 7th graders, 62% of 9th graders, and 61% of 11th graders in California reported that they ate breakfast in the past day. Non-traditional students (i.e., those enrolled in Community Day Schools or Continuation Education) had the lowest percentage: 51% in 2011-13. In addition, 70% of both white and Asian students reported that they ate breakfast in the past day, the highest among racial/ethnic groups with data, while Hispanic/Latino students reported the lowest percentage (58%). A higher percentage of boys than girls in California reported eating breakfast in the past day overall and in each grade.
In 2011-13, 66% of elementary school staff in California reported that they agreed or strongly agreed that their school provided students with healthy food choices, the highest percentage among school types. Agreement was lowest among staff at non-traditional and K-12 schools (51%).
According to a 2013-14 California survey, about one-third (32%) of children ages 2-11 statewide ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables (excluding juice and fried potatoes) daily, compared to less than a quarter (22%) of youth ages 12-17. The survey also found that 41% of children and youth ages 2-17 ate fast food two or more times in the preceding week, similar to previous years. Among counties with data, estimates of children and youth consuming fast food at least twice weekly ranged from 5% to 59% in 2013-14.
According to the same survey, 42% of California children and youth drank sugary beverages on a daily basis, with county-level figures ranging from 20% to 63%. Sugary drink consumption also differs by age and race/ethnicity. Among youth ages 12-17, 59% reported drinking at least one sugar-sweetened beverage in the previous day, while parent reports for younger children were much lower, at 36% for ages 6-11, and 23% for ages 2-5. Among racial/ethnic groups with data, an estimated 68% of African American/black and 62% of Hispanic/Latino youth ages 12-17 consumed sugary beverages daily, compared to 55% for Asian, 54% for multiracial, and 56% for white youth. - Policy Implications
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Lifetime dietary habits are established at a young age. School and community food and nutrition policies can encourage healthful choices, increasing the likelihood of long-term health (1, 2, 3). Student food intake needs to include a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Children and youth should minimize consumption of sugary beverages and fast food, which are linked to poor health outcomes, including unhealthy weight gain and obesity (1, 4).
Poor dietary habits have been shown to substantially affect student achievement, making nutrition a priority for school performance (2, 5). Many California schools participate in the federal School Breakfast Program, which, like the National School Lunch Program, subsidizes meals that are provided at little or no cost to low-income students. Although many children do not eat a daily nutritious breakfast at home, the School Breakfast Program is underutilized, particularly in comparison to the School Lunch Program (6).
Policy-related actions that could improve children’s consumption of healthy food include:- Utilizing authority under state and federal law to increase participation in child nutrition programs, including school breakfast, school lunch, summer food service, and at-risk afterschool meal programs; this includes implementing strategies such as making breakfast part of the school day and providing universal free school meals, which can be offered through federal provisions including Community Eligibility, where high-poverty schools can provide meals at no charge to all students (6, 7)
- Increasing awareness among all school stakeholders—including parents, teachers, students, and administrators—about the links between healthful eating habits, weight, cognitive function, academic performance, and school finances; this includes incorporating nutrition education into health curricula for students (1, 2, 5)
- Implementing and expanding programs that promote healthful eating during early childhood, such as trainings for child care providers on health and nutrition, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program, which helps provide nutritious meals and snacks to children in day care (7, 8)
- Promoting cross-sector, comprehensive strategies to reduce consumption of sugary beverages and increase the availability of healthy, affordable food options for children and families, particularly in low-income communities; this may include attracting retailers of nutritious food (e.g., grocery stores) to locate in under-served areas, or increasing the availability of healthy options for children in restaurants and schools (3, 9)
- Supporting efforts to implement common standards for marketing beverages and food to children and youth (3)
For more policy ideas and research on this topic, see the Research & Links section on kidsdata.org or visit California Food Policy Advocates, BreakfastFirst, and the Food Research and Action Center. Also see Policy Implications on kidsdata.org under the topics Family Income and Poverty and Food Security.
Sources for this narrative:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Childhood nutrition facts. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/facts.htm
2. BreakfastFirst. (2013). The benefits of breakfast: Health and academics. California Food Policy Advocates. Retrieved from: http://breakfastfirst.org/benefits-of-breakfast-health-and-academics
3. Institute of Medicine. (2012). Accelerating progress in obesity prevention: Solving the weight of the nation. National Academy of Sciences. Retrieved from: http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/2012/Accelerating-Progress-in-Obesity-Prevention.aspx
4. Babey, S. H., et al. (2013). Still bubbling over: California adolescents drinking more soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research & California Center for Public Health Advocacy. Retrieved from: http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/publications/search/pages/detail.aspx?PubID=1228
5. Action for Healthy Kids. (2013). The learning connection: What you need to know to ensure your kids are healthy and ready to learn. Retrieved from: http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/media-center/reports/706-the-learning-connection-what-you-need-to-know-to-ensure-your-kids-are-healthy-and-ready-to-learn
6. Hewins, J., & Rosso, R. (2017). School breakfast scorecard: School year 2015-2016. Food Research and Action Center. Retrieved from: http://frac.org/research/resource-library/school-breakfast-scorecard-2015-2016-school-year-february-2017
7. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. (2014). Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. Retrieved from: http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/healthy-hunger-free-kids-act
8. California Food Policy Advocates. (2013). AB290 (Alejo): Foundations for healthy nutrition in child care. Retrieved from: http://cfpa.net/ab290
9. American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on School Health & Committee on Nutrition. (2015). Snacks, sweetened beverages, added sugars, and schools. Pediatrics, 135(3), 575-583. Retrieved from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/135/3/575 - Research & Links
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- Websites with Related Information
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- 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services & U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
- Action for Healthy Kids
- BreakfastFirst, California Food Policy Advocates
- California Food Policy Advocates
- CDC Healthy Schools, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Food Research and Action Center
- Healthy Food Access Portal, PolicyLink, The Food Trust, & Reinvestment Fund
- Nutrition in Children and Adolescents Knowledge Path, National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health
- Public Health Advocates
- School Nutrition Environment and Wellness Resources, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
- Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments, Prevention Institute
- Team California for Healthy Kids, Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation
- Key Reports and Research
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- 2018 California Children's Report Card, Children Now
- Access to Healthy Food and Why It Matters: A Review of the Research, 2013, PolicyLink & The Food Trust, Bell, J., et al.
- Breakfast and the Achievement Gap Among Urban Minority Youth, 2011, Journal of School Health, Basch, C. E.
- Child Nutrition Programs: Spending and Policy Options, 2015, Congressional Budget Office, Campbell, S., et al.
- Food Security, Health, and Well-Being, 2014, Food Insecurity and Hunger in the U.S.: New Research
- Health and Academics, 2017, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Healthy Food, Healthy Communities: Promising Strategies to Improve Access to Fresh, Healthy Food and Transform Communities, 2011, PolicyLink, Flournoy, R.
- Kids’ Meals: Obesity on the Menu, 2013, Center for Science in the Public Interest
- Majority of Young Children in California Eat Fast Food Regularly but Drink Less Soda, 2013, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Holtby, S., et al.
- Progress on Children Eating More Fruit, Not Vegetables, 2014, CDC Vital Signs
- Promoting Food Security for All Children, 2015, Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Community Pediatrics & Committee on Nutrition
- School’s Out…Who Ate? A Report on Summer Nutrition in California, 2016, California Food Policy Advocates, Fischer Colby, A., & Shimada, T.
- Snacks, Sweetened Beverages, Added Sugars, and Schools, 2015, Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on School Health & Committee on Nutrition
- Still Bubbling Over: California Adolescents Drinking More Soda and Other Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, 2013, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research & California Center for Public Health Advocacy, Babey, S. H., et al.
- The Benefits of Breakfast: Health and Academics, 2013, California Food Policy Advocates
- The Learning Connection: What You Need to Know to Ensure Your Kids Are Healthy and Ready to Learn, 2013, Action for Healthy Kids
- County/Regional Reports
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- County of San Mateo Adolescent Report 2014-15, San Mateo County Health System
- Key Indicators of Health by Service Planning Area, 2017, Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health
- Los Angeles County Community Health Assessment, Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health
- Santa Clara County Children's Agenda: 2017 Data Book, Planned Parenthood & Kids in Common
- Santa Clara County Public Health Department: Health Data and Statistics
- Small Food Stores and Availability of Nutritious Foods: A Comparison of Database and In-Store Measures, Northern California, 2009, Preventing Chronic Disease, Kersten, E., et al.
- The Wellbeing Project, City of Santa Monica
- More Data Sources For Nutrition
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- California Health Interview Survey, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
- Child Trends Databank: Food Insecurity
- Map the Meal Gap, Feeding America
- National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), National Center for Health Statistics
- Nutrition and Food Insecurity Profiles, California Food Policy Advocates
- Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Branch: California Statewide Surveys, California Dept. of Public Health
- SNAP-Ed County Profiles 2017, California Dept. of Public Health
- USDA Economic Research Service: Food Environment Atlas
- Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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