title: School Lunch Take up and Attainment in Primary and Secondary Schools in England.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Average levels of attainment in primary and secondary schools in England in 2010 and 2011 are positively associated with changes in average school lunch take up between 2008-2009 and 2010-2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Average school lunch take up and attainment data were available for 2009-2011 for primary and secondary sectors in a minimum of 106 local authorities (LAs) in England and 853 individual primary schools in six LAs. Associations between attainment at 11-12 years (primary) and 15-16 years (secondary) and changes in school lunch take up were tested using multilevel analysis, multiple regression, and cross-tabulation (chi-squared analysis).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At school level, attainment at 11-12 years in 2010 and 2011 showed 9 positive and 12 negative associations with changes in school lunch take up between 2009 and 2011. At LA level, average attainment at 15-16 years in 2011 was associated with changes in total school lunch take up in 2010-2011 (p = 0.034). Cross-tabulation of changes in attainment 2010-2011 (above or below median) were positively associated with changes in total school lunch take up between 2009 and 2011, by quartiles (Chi-squared = 11.041, df = 3, p = 0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attainment at secondary level in England is statistically significantly associated with increases in healthier school lunch take up. Results in the primary sector are not consistent.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Nutrition Research Ltd. , London , UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: London Borough of Ealing , London , UK.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.affiliation: Children's Food Trust , Sheffield , UK.
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nicholas
keywords: England; academic attainment; primary; school lunch; secondary