School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study III, Volume I: School Food Service, School Food Environment, and Meals Offered and Served

Abstract

SNDA-III provides detailed information on the operation of school meal programs, the school environment that affects these programs, the nutrient content of school meals, and the contribution of school meals to students’ diets. Mathematica collected data for the study during school year 2004-2005 from a nationally representative sample of districts, schools, and students. This summary report notes that in a typical week, more than 70 percent of schools served meals that met standards for key nutrients, including protein, iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C. However, few schools met all nutrition standards, particularly those for fat, saturated fat, and calories. Most students had an opportunity to select a low-fat lunch but did not. In addition, foods sold in competition with United States Department of Agriculture school lunches were widely available—on an average school day, about one-quarter of students obtained food or beverages in school other than the regular school lunch.