Changing nutrition standards in schools: the emerging impact on school revenue.
BACKGROUND
Although great focus has been placed on nutritional and other consequences of changes in food-related policies within schools, few reports exist describing the impact of such changes on school revenue. This review provides an overview of the few revenue-related studies published recently, as well as information from a sampling of state reports on the subject.


METHODS
A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Four peer-reviewed papers and 3 state-based reports were identified that assessed the impact on revenues of either targeted policy changes or overarching, district-wide changes in food-related policies.


RESULTS
Thus far, few data exist to substantiate the concern that changes in nutrition standards in schools lead to a loss in total revenue. An interesting phenomenon of increased participation in the National School Lunch Program was noted in a number of reports and might play a role in buffering financial losses.


CONCLUSIONS
A renewed focus on school policies related to health provides the opportunity for researchers to investigate how nutrition-related policy change can affect, if at all, food service and overall school revenues.
Wharton
Christopher M
CM
Department of Nutrition, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ 85212, USA. christopher.wharton@asu.edu
Long
Michael
M
Schwartz
Marlene B
MB
D005522:Food Services / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D018673:Nutrition Policy / Q000639:trends*; D012574:Schools; D014481:United States