Nutrition impacts in a randomized trial of summer food benefits to prevent childhood hunger in U.S. schoolchildren

Abstract

There is concern about food security and nutrition during the summer when low-income children do not have access to school meals. The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (SEBTC) demonstration tested impacts on child nutrition of food benefits of $60 or $30 per eligible child per summer month. A $60 benefit increased children’s mean fruit/vegetable consumption by 0.4 cup-equivalents, whole grains by 0.5 ounce-equivalents, and dairy items by 0.2 cup-equivalents. The $60 benefit had twice the impacts of the $30 benefit, and the SEBTC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) model had the largest improvements in dietary quality at both benefit levels.