School Feeding Programs: What Happens Globally?

Alessandra Cupertino, Veronica Ginani, Ana Paula Cupertino and Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho
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Alessandra Cupertino: Department of Nutrition, College of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Veronica Ginani: Master’s Programs Public Health, Department of Nutrition, College of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Ana Paula Cupertino: Medical Center Wilmot Cancer, Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho: Master’s Programs Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, College of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: School feeding programs (SFPs) are an important effort to address food insecurity, improve nutritional education, and ultimately improve health outcomes. The objective of this research was to describe the nutritional, cultural, food safety, and agro-family participation of SFPs in different countries and observe the SFP in low-middle and high-income countries to establish disparities. The study followed documentary research of SFP official online resources complemented by a literature review. The programs were assessed in four criteria: (1) nutritional aspects, (2) cultural aspects, (3) food safety, and (4) agro-family participation. Out of 192 countries registered, 117 countries (60.93%) have an SFP, and only 8 (4.16%) do not have SFPs. A total of 67 countries (34.89%) did not have an official online resource and did not respond to follow-up emails. Out of the 117 countries with SFP, all of them had a detailed description of their nutritional aspects, cultural aspects (11.96%), food safety (16.23%), and agro-family participation (23.93%). Europe and Central Asia were the continents with the most comprehensive SFP. While most countries incorporate nutritional aspects and healthy food, cultural, food safety, and agro-family participation must be incorporated in their SPF to optimize children and adolescent development. Moreover, the study identified disparities across countries where the SFPs were identified in low-middle countries compared to middle- and high-income countries.

Keywords: world food program; school feeding; children; countries; food security (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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