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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #172054
Title: SALES OF SOME COMPETITIVE FOODS AT MIDDLE SCHOOLS DIFFER BY SCHOOL ETHNICITY

Author
item NORWOOD, C - BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MED
item Cullen, Karen

Submitted to: Journal Of The American Dietetic Association
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2003
Publication Date: 9/1/2003
Citation: Norwood, C., Cullen, K. 2003. Sales of some competitive foods at middle schools differ by school ethnicity. Journal Of The American Dietetic Association. 103(9 Suppl 1):A-64.

Interpretive Summary: Not required for an abstract.

Technical Abstract: Obesity is a leading health problem in the United States that affects children and adolescents. As children spend the majority of their day at school, the school setting is regarded as an important food environment. Competitive foods, which are typically high in fat and sugar, can be purchased at school snack bars, school stores, and vending machines. Little is known about the extent to which sales of these foods differ by school characteristics. Data consisting of cash sales of competitive foods at snack bars from 33 6th to 8th grade middle schools were analyzed to determine if the average number of competitive food items sold differed by school demographic characteristics, i.e. school ethnicity [African-American (AA), Hispanic (H), or Mixed (M)] and percent of students receiving free/reduced price National School Lunch Program meals (NSLP) (less than 40% vs. greater or equal to 40%). Foods were grouped into 15 categories (e.g, 16 ounce soda, high fat/high salt snacks) and the percent of total sales for each category was calculated by dividing the number of items sold for a given category by the total number of all food items sold during the school year. Predominantly AA schools sold more Ice Cream (p=0.01), and predominantly H schools sold greater amounts of Regular High Fat and High Sugar Snack foods (p<0.01). There were no differences in the percent sales of competitive foods by percent of students receiving NSLP meals. School demographic characteristics were not determining factors in the type and amount of competitive foods purchased at these middle school snack bars. Funded from the USDA/ARS Cooperative Agreement No. 58-6250-6001.