Sustainability transitions in agri-food systems: insights from South Korea’s universal free, eco-friendly school lunch program

Gaddis, Jennifer E.; Jeon, June

doi:10.1007/s10460-020-10137-2

Cited by 18 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 56 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Beginning in 1943, Finland was the first country to offer universal free school meals, and Sweden implemented them two years later in 1945 [ 29 , 30 ]. More recently, Estonia began providing free school meals to all students in 2002, and South Korea implemented a universal free school meal program in 2011 [ 11 , 31 ]. Additionally, England implemented the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy for state-funded schools in 2014 and Scotland introduced a similar policy in 2015, both of which only apply to children in their first three years of primary school (children ages 4–7 years at the beginning of the school year) [ 10 , 32 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The school environment plays an important role in children’s diets and overall health, and policies for universal free school meals have the potential to contribute to positive child health outcomes. This systematic review evaluates studies examining the association between universal free school meals and students’ school meal participation rates, diets, attendance, academic performance, and Body Mass Index (BMI), as well as school finances. The search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A search for studies published in economically developed countries published through December 2020 was performed in PubMed, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Thomson Reuters’ Web of Science, and Academic Search Ultimate, followed by examining the references in the resultant literature. A total of 47 studies were identified and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was applied to assess bias. Nearly all studies examining universal free school meals found positive associations with school meal participation. Most studies examining universal free school meals that included free lunch found positive associations with diet quality, food security, and academic performance; however, the findings of studies examining only universal free breakfast were mixed. Research findings were similarly mixed when examining attendance as an outcome. Concerns about adverse outcomes on student BMI were not supported by the literature; in fact, several studies detected a potentially protective effect of universal free school meals on BMI. Research examining the impact of universal free meals on school finances was limited, but suggest that lower-income school districts in the U.S. may have positive financial outcomes from participation in universal free school meal provisions. Additionally, providing free meals to students may be associated with improved household incomes, particularly among lower-income families with children. Further research is needed to examine the financial implications of universal free meals for both school districts and families. Overall, universal free school meals may have multiple benefits for students and countries should consider universal free school meal provisions with strong nutrition guidelines. (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020221782).

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although school feeding policies in some countries already present recommendations on sustainability in their guiding principles [ 34 , 37 , 38 ], and the literature presents different sustainability practices employed in this context, bringing to light a body of evidence on this topic will be helpful for decision-makers at the government level to create or even revise guidelines for their school feeding policies, incorporating the principles of sustainability. Therefore, the research question that guided this study is “What are the recommendations on sustainability in school feeding policies and the sustainability practices adopted in schools?”.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability Recommendations and Practices in School Feeding: A Systematic Review

Santos

Maynard

Zandonadi

et al. 2022

Foods

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Considering the importance of schools for sustainable food offers and the formation of conscientious citizens on sustainability, this systematic review aimed to verify the recommendations on sustainability in school feeding policies and the sustainability practices adopted in schools. The research question that guided this study is “what are the recommendations on sustainability in school feeding policies and the sustainability practices adopted in schools?”. This systematic review was prepared according to PRISMA, and its checklist was registered in PROSPERO. Specific search strategies for Scopus, Web of Science, Pubmed, Lilacs, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global were developed. The included studies’ methodological quality was evaluated using the Meta-Analysis Statistical Assessment and Review Instrument (MASTARI). A total of 134 studies were selected for a full reading. Of these, 50 met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review. Several sustainability practices were described. The most cited are school gardens and education activities for sustainability. However, actions carried out in food services were also mentioned, from the planning of menus and the purchase of raw materials (mainly local and organic foods, vegetarian/vegan menus) to the distribution of meals (reduction of organic and inorganic waste: composting, recycling, donating food, and portion sizes). Recommendations for purchasing sustainable food (organic, local, and seasonal), nutrition education focused on sustainability, and reducing food waste were frequent; this reinforces the need to stimulate managers’ view, in their most varied spheres, for the priority that should be given to this theme, so that education for sustainability is universally part of the curricula. The importance of education in enabling individuals to promote sustainable development is reaffirmed in Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). The development of assessment instruments can help monitor the evolution of sustainable strategies at schools and the main barriers and potentialities related to their implementation.

show abstract

“…These Scandinavian countries offer free school meals on a universal basis, that is, every student is eligible to receive a free lunch [ 2 ]. Estonia, South Korea, the US, England and Scotland have all introduced variations of this free and universal approach but the concept is not widespread [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]. In 2019, Aotearoa New Zealand’s government announced a two-year pilot programme to explore the delivery of a free and healthy school lunch programme in a ‘whole of school’ approach to all students in the 25% least advantaged schools within several regions around the country [ 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systems Mapping of the New Zealand Free and Healthy School Lunch Programme: Perspectives from Lunch Providers

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As part of the COVID-19 economic recovery package, the Aotearoa New Zealand Government rolled out a universal free and healthy lunch programme to the 25% least advantaged schools nationwide. This study explored experiences of school lunch providers in the Hawke’s Bay region. The aim was to create a systems map identifying points of intervention through which the lunch programme could be improved to meet the goal of reducing child food insecurity. Twelve lunch providers were interviewed to generate casual loop diagrams which were examined and integrated to form a single systems map. Seven themes arose during analysis: teacher support, principal support, nutrition guidelines and government support, supply chain, ingredient suppliers, student feedback and food waste. Teacher support was important for getting students to try new foods and eat the nutritious lunches. Principal support was a strong theme impacting opportunities for broader student engagement. This study employed systems science to highlight the importance of support from different stakeholders within the lunch programme to achieve the goal of reduced child food insecurity. Further work is needed to ensure the programme meets the wider goals of the government and community, and to determine the potential broader benefits of the programme.

show abstract

Sustainability transitions in agri-food systems: insights from South Korea’s universal free, eco-friendly school lunch program

Cited by 18 publications

References 56 publications

Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review

Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review

Sustainability Recommendations and Practices in School Feeding: A Systematic Review

Systems Mapping of the New Zealand Free and Healthy School Lunch Programme: Perspectives from Lunch Providers

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About