(P17-035-23) Nutrition Insights From the 2021 Global Survey of School Meal Programs

Objectives: The Global Survey of School Meal Programs, implemented by the Global Child Nutrition Foundation, has produced a novel, up-to-date database of standardized information on school meal programs worldwide. The objective of this study is to characterize these programs in terms of their reach, nutrition standards and practices (foods served, diet diversity, fortification), procurement methods, linkages to farmers, job creation, funding, and more.

Methods: In late 2021, national governments were invited to participate in the Global Survey of School Meal Programs and share information on their programs for school year 2020. The resulting database includes detailed information from 139 countries and 183 school meal programs. Data are analyzed descriptively.

Results: At least 330.3 million children worldwide received food through school meal programs, with an aggregate budget of at least USD 35.3 billion. Coverage is positively correlated with country income level. In high-income settings, children received an average of 8.3 different food categories, while this value dropped to 7.1, 6.5, and 5.2 in upper middle-income, lower middle-income, and low-income settings, respectively. Programs that relied on domestic procurement served, on average, a greater diversity of foods than programs that relied on in-kind donations from foreign sources. While 80% of programs in low-income settings served fortified food products, this declined with higher income levels. One third of programs (and 70% of those in high-income countries) reported an explicit goal to prevent or mitigate obesity.

Conclusions: Disparities in school meal coverage across regions and income levels indicate that coverage is lowest precisely where needs are likely to be greatest. At the same time, programs seem to be growing fastest in low-income countries. Although programs in lower income settings tend to serve less diverse meals, the survey documents a promising shift in the direction of local procurement and farmer engagement—practices which are correlated with healthier school menus. The potential for school meal programs to be employed to combat obesity is less recognized in settings where concerns of undernutrition remain salient, even as rates of obesity are rising.

Funding Sources: The survey was funded in part by the USDA and General Mills.