title: School food research: building the evidence base for policy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Following an international workshop on developing the evidence base for policy relating to school food held in London, UK, in January 2012, the objectives of the present paper were (i) to outline a rationale for school food research, monitoring and evaluation in relation to policy and (ii) to identify ways forward for future working.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors analysed presentations, summaries of evidence, and notes from discussions held at the international workshop in London in 2012 to distil common themes and make recommendations for the development of coherent research programmes relating to food and nutrition in schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  International, with an emphasis on middle- and high-income countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overviews of existing school food and nutrition programmes from the UK, Hungary, Sweden, the USA, Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico and other countries were presented, along with information on monitoring, evaluation and other research to demonstrate the impact of school feeding on health, attainment, food sourcing, procurement and finances, in the context of interactions between the evidence base and policy decisions. This provided the material which, together with summaries and notes of discussions, was used to develop recommendations for the development and dissemination of robust approaches to sustainable and effective school food and nutrition programmes in middle- and high-income countries, including policy guidelines, standards, cost-effectiveness measures and the terms of political engagement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  School food and nutrition can provide a cohesive core for health, education and agricultural improvement provided: (i) policy is appropriately framed and includes robust monitoring and evaluation; and (ii) all stakeholders are adequately engaged in the process. International exchange of information will be used to develop a comprehensive guide to the assessment of the impact of school food and nutrition policy and supporting infrastructure.
authors.affiliation: Children's Food Trust, 8 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7QE, UK. Michael.Nelson@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breda
mesh_terms: D019049:Developed Countries; D004032:Diet; D005522:Food Services; D005523:Food Supply; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D011634:Public Health; D012106:Research; D012574:Schools