BENEFITS OF BREAKFAST OPPORTUNITIES AT LAUSD TheBenefitsofBreakfast:Academicsand Health

Breakfastisoftensaidtobethemostimportantmealoftheday.Researchshowsthatstudentsbenefitfromeating breakfastintwoprimaryways.First,studentsoveralldietaryhealthispositivelyaffectedbybreakfast 1 consumption,particularlymealsprovidedthroughtheSchoolBreakfastProgram .Second,thereissignificantevidence ofpositiveacademiceffectsduetobreakfastconsumption.Schoolsexperienceimprovementsinstandardized testscoresandimprovementsinschoolattendanceinadditiontootheroutcomesthatcreatepositivelearning environments.Servingschoolbreakfasttoallstudentshelpsensurethattheyarewellnourishedandreadytolearn.

AcademicSuccess
Studieshavealsoshowneating breakfastresultsinhighertest scores.2 Studentswhoeatbreakfastearn,on average,alettergradehigherinmath thanthosewhodontaccordingto PediatricsMagazine. Childrenwhoparticipateinthe SchoolBreakfastProgramaretardy and/orabsentfromschoolless often.3 Testingthepotentialvalueofa universalfreeSchoolBreakfast Programatsixpilotschools, researchersfoundbetter concentrationandpatternsof alertnessamongchildrenwhowere fed. AUSDAreviewofexistingliterature notedthatstudiesfindbetter academicperformanceonavarietyof measuresonthepartofchildrenwho receiveschoolbreakfastascompared tothosewhodonot.

Nutritional Benefits
Aftertheimplementationof universalschoolbreakfast,school nursesreportadecreaseinstudent complaintsofstomachachesand headaches. Inanationallyrepresentativesample ofchildreningrades112, participationintheSchoolBreakfast Programwassignificantlyassociated withhealthierbodyweightsand lowerBMI. Childrenwhoeatschoolbreakfast aremorelikelytomeetthe RecommendedDietaryAllowances (RDA)forvitaminA,vitaminD, calcium,magnesium,thiamin, riboflavinandzincascomparedto studentswhoeatbreakfastathome. Comparedtothosewhodonoteat breakfast,childrenandadolescents whodoeatbreakfasttendtomake healthierfoodchoicesthroughout theday. Studentsinschoolswithuniversal schoolbreakfastprogramsareless likelytoskipbreakfastdueto concernsofbodyimageorstigmaof eatinginthecafeteria.

FinancialOpportunities
ClassroomBreakfastprograms greatlyincreaseparticipationin schoolbreakfastcomparedto conventionalprogramsthat serveschoolbreakfastbefore thestartoftheschoolday. TheLAUSDSchoolBreakfast Programdoesnotreach71%of studentsenrolled. 530,859ofLAUSDsstudentsare eligibletoreceivefreeor reducedprice(FRP)meals.On average,196,279students participateinbreakfastat LAUSD. LAUSDSchoolsmissedouton $107millioninadditional federalmealreimbursements during200910duetolow schoolbreakfastparticipation. Thatis,iftheadditional361,784 studentswhoqualifyforaFRP mealparticipateddailywould meananadditionalrevenueof $615,000perday!

1 2

ChildNutritionFoundation/NationalDairyCouncil www.schoolnutrition.org 3 SchoolBreakfastScorecard2006;FoodResearchandActionCenter;www.frac.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT LAUSD FOOD SERVICES DIVISION

213.241.3366