Perspectives on the School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study from the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health

Abstract

The School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study provides current data on the nutritional quality and adequacy of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) as well as on the dietary intakes of students participating in these programs. The study demonstrates that the NSLP and SBP meals and children’s total diets do not conform to the recommendations of the US Department of Agriculture and the National Research Council and confirms the need to improve the nutritional quality of the nation’s school meal program and student’s overall dietary intakes. In this regard, the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH) is the first collaborative, school-based field trial that tests the effectiveness of a multi-level intervention designed to reduce the fat, saturated fat, and sodium content of school meals and student’s diets. This commentary highlights the findings and questions raised by the School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study and presents an overview of CATCH, including the implications and significant questions that can be addressed by this intervention study.