Open AccessEducational benefits of the United States school feeding program: a critical review of the literature.
Author(s) -
Ernesto Pollitt,
Mark Gersovitz,
M Gargiulo
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.68.5.477
Subject(s) - psychology , developmental psychology , environmental health , medical education , gerontology , medicine
In the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 it was stated that educational progress was an objective of the United States School Feeding programs. In spite of this fact no serious attempt has ever been made to evaluate whether this objective has been met; the few evaluations that have been conducted lack scientific rigor. As a whole the studies fail to provide a strong basis from which to make valid inferences regarding the long-term effects of the feeding program on school achievement and adaptation. Studies that have focused on the short-term effects of hunger or morning feeding suggest that the provision of breakfast may both benefit the student emotionally and enhance his capacity to work on school type tasks.